Khaotic Afterbirth
by EnderLance
Summary: Freedom was never a choice for him, a test subject. And yet, when the day came that he and countless others were to be free, he had never expected himself to join a terrorist group. Now fighting under the Khaos Brigade's banner, what sort of life would Young-ae be experiencing? He supposed it was finally time to break loose. (Harem)
1. Character Sheets

Young-Ae's Information

 **Stories Included**

Highschool DxD x Tokyo Ghoul x [ EXPUNGED ]

 **Identity**

Name: Young-ae Cross

Race:Half-ghoul

 **Natural Biology**

Need for human flesh for consumption

A kakuhou; organ of which controls the Rc cells in the body

A kagune; a predatory organ made up of Rc cells from the kakuhou

Rc Abnormal Typing; an abnormality in the body allowing usage of multiple types of kagune through drinking blood of a ghoul


	2. Chapter 1

"I really like you!" - Speech

'Too much, huh?' - Thoughts

 _"And just like that…"_ \- Flashback

*Brr!* *Smack!*- Sound effects

* * *

Chapter 1: **He** , T **es** ted by I **nh** uman **e**

 _==MONTHLY EXAMINATION REPORT January 5, 2009==_

 _SUBJECT INFO_

 _Name: Cross, Young-Ae_

 _DOB: 04/02/2001_

 _Sex: M_

 _Age: 8_

 _Height: 50_

 _Weight: 46_

 _Room: 298_

 _Subject ID: 16_

* * *

 _Object Class: Keter_

* * *

 _PHYSICAL RESULTS_

 _Eyes: Normal_

 _Ears: Normal_

 _Teeth: Normal_

 _S_ _kin: Normal_

 _Genitals: Normal_

 _PHYSICAL RESULTS **[ REDACTED ]**_  
 _Reaction time (ms): 1_

 _Strength: Unconfirmed_

 _Positivity (01-10): 01_

 _Sensitivity (01-10): 09_

 _Control (01-10): 02_

 _PHYSICAL NOTES_

 _Last Updated - 01/05/2007_  
 _Subject has shown prior behaviours in / off transformation, all of which has been noted and should be ignored during moments of testing;_

 _Biting, epiphora, hands clenching, harm to examiner / self, phobia of enclosed spaces_

 ** _Any self-harm attempts must be interrupted immediately._**

 _TEST RESULTS _

_Physical / Emotional Response Test: 100 (PASSED)_

 _Physical / Emotional Control Test: 32 (FAILED)_

 _ **[ REDACTED ]** Activation Test: 100 (PASSED)_

 _ **[ REDACTED ]** Deactivation Test: 25 (FAILED)_

 _END OF REPORT_

* * *

He could faintly remember what had happened over the course of the experimentation, but the drugs inserted into him had dulled his ability to think.

The smell of morphine filled the room, too much for an eight-year-old to be breathing into his system. Needless to say, he hated it, but came to getting used to it in the end. Amongst the needles and tubes, and the countless blood packs he saw stored into those cabinets, and these filthy men with bloodied gloves towering above him as he laid, he had long been ready to accept death's embrace.

"Subject is beginning to wake up," a scientist with a pale mask spoke, his chief scientist rounding up close to the boy.

"So, you've awoken," he snickered, waving a needle with blood for the boy to see. "Do you know whose blood this is?"

The boy, tired and weak from all the drugs and tests, willed his head to bob left and right as much as he could.

"No matter, you shan't need to know. It'll be over soon," he answered, handing the blood-filled syringe to one of his subordinates, before snapping his fingers. "Alright, time to lock him up. Let's go."

* * *

What the boy, Young-ae as the reports wrote about him, hated about the tests, was that it required him to turn into that hideous being. How blood-like organs seem to pop out of from his waist, as he could feel it.

How it seemed to grow excited in his body, breaking the skin and flesh before coming out. It looked like tentacles, safe to say, and the doctors had done all sorts of him since then.

It had been difficult just to hide it from these nosy humans. And the day that they discovered this trait of his, he had been their number one guinea pig since then.

They had him undergo multiple tests, some of which required him to stay normal, whilst the other ones had him turn into that thing again.

His left eye would always turn black, something of which he was afraid would have the doctors pulling said eye out. Fortunately or unfortunately, they left it alone.

Right now, he was on a stretcher, those beds he's seen stored away in some room to bring a patient or dead body on. He was being escorted to his room, as always. The boy had remembered the pathway long ago.

Gently, the scientists lifted him by his shoulder and his legs, carrying him into his room. It was, surprisingly enough, resemblant to a hotel room. It lacked the windows, however, making this an enclosed room—a trait he developed a fear of.

It had the master-sized bed, with nightstands on either side of the bed with lamps on them. At the foot of the bed, there was a simple coffee table, where they would serve him his breakfast, lunch and dinner—if he was lucky enough, he'd get coffee instead of plain water. There were curtains on the wall to the right of the bed, but of course, there were no windows, in fear that the boy would try to escape the room in the first place.

The scientists placed him on the bed, leaving him uncovered by the comforter. The phobia of enclosed spaces had even stretched out to the point where he hated blankets and similar items, leading to them deciding to leave him as he is.

"Seriously though, I can't believe we're keeping such a dangerous kid with us…" One of the scientists spoke, earning a nod of agreement from his friend.

"Indeed. If he wanted to, he could have killed us," the second one sighed, before pulling out what seemed to be cuffs. "Alright, hold him down so that I could cuff him."

"You got it," the first one nodded, pushing the boy down.

Young-ae had no objections to this, knowing that, had he not been cuffed at all, he would have done horrible things, both to himself and others. The reports did say that he liked to harm himself, and they were right. Constantly biting his skin, tearing off the flesh, and perhaps eating himself.

With him being cuffed, it would certainly make things a little bit harder.

The problem that the scientists here had with him, was that they could never kill him. He was a gem in the rough, a rare jewel discovered. Should they choose to dispose of him, there would be no more chances in finding someone just like him. So of course, they must treat him as delicately as they could, giving them the opportunity to continue on with their twisted desires.

Now cuffed, the scientists left the room, the boy with it. And the boy, now alone, chose to return to his slumber, missing the peacefulness that came with sleeping.

* * *

A Week Later

Young-ae was being brought again by the stretcher, to some place he had no knowledge of.

Just earlier, he was busy eating the meat that they had given to him, until a scientist had came in, requesting that he get ready. Ready for what, he could only imagine.

As he was being led away, the white and lonely colouring of the room began to shift to a grey, metallic one, with bright lights that you could only find in a fallout bunker.

He was led to a room, and in that room, he was left on the stretcher. He moved his head upwards to see—

"Uh-oh…" He gulped, face paling at what stood before him.

He had read reports about the creature, and, despite never fully coming into contact with him, he had grown somewhat fearful of this strange being. It looked humanoid enough, though possessing a head larger than man's. Body constructed from concrete and rebar, and a bit of what Young-ae had seen called 'Krylon' spray paint.

This creature, it was classed under the 'Euclid' category, making it less dangerous than he was. Understandably, it should have been labeled under the same class as he was, considering how it had the ultimate defence mechanism which, ironically, is both its asset and its flaw.

'Secure, Contain, Protect.' The foundation's mission, as the boy had read before. And before him, stood one of the beings that have been secured.

 _"The three class D personnel are required to enter the room,"_ a voice boomed out, followed with the heavy metal door sliding open. Three adult men, all wearing orange uniforms, entered the room. _"Maintain eye contact with SCP-173 at all costs."_

 _"Hey, what is subject 16 doing in there?"_ A different voice spoke out this time.

 _"We are merely testing the subject's response to SCP-173,"_ he answered, but it made no sense whatsoever.

The boy, frightful of the being that continued to stare into the corner of the room, kept his hands close to himself. If anything, he'd be ready to fight back.

Slowly, one of the orange-cladded men walked straight towards the pale yellow creature, keeping his eyes open. The other two blinked only as little as they possible could, the warning from the higher ups still ringing clearly in their minds.

 _"…Very well. Notes have been taken. All personnel, return to your posts. Subject 16 is to be returned into his own containment cell as well,"_ the voice announced, and with it, the iron doors opened once more.

"Come on, let's get out," was the last thing Young-ae's mind could truly register, before he was brought away.

* * *

That Night

Unaware of his whereabouts, the boy took the time to truly absorb the view before him.

It was after a few minutes, which felt like a lifetime to him, for reasons he himself knew not, it was only then did he realise that he was back in his own room once again. He couldn't tell whether it was night or day, but one thing he knew for certain, he was contained.

Not knowing what else to say, he lie back down on his bed, a deep sigh escaping him. He hadn't even thought of himself being shoved into SCP-173's containment cell, nor did he think of why he was there in the first place.

"…In the end," his voice broke the silence after a while. "It was just a _test_ …"

Everything he did was being monitored. Any strange things he did that was uncounted for would then be jotted down in their notes. If he ate anything besides meat, human meat, then it would spark curiosity among these blasted scientists.

Even now, in his own room, one that resembled a hotel's room, the camera plugged in at the corner of his room was busy monitoring him. The men never trusted him to have his own privacy, considering how he was always biting himself. And if that didn't work, every personnel remembered the time he swiped a fork from one of them, and began stabbing himself in the wrist.

Right now, on his bed, he felt anything but peace. He thought he would be safe, in this room that they 'gifted' to him, but this was just as he heard before; a containment cell.

No matter. He would go to sleep soon, and nothing would change. He would go through the same tests once more, and he'd go through hell, and he'd go to sleep, and he'd wake up in preparation for the exact same horrors once more.

Slowly, he fluttered his eyelids shut, and awaited slumber to overtake him.

* * *

Three Weeks Later

"Subject 16, we require you to sit still. Do not leave this room, understood?" The guard, his taser holstered and his baton clipped to his belt, warned.

Young-ae, deciding not to say anything, nodded back in response.

He watched the guard disappear from the room, the one that he was currently in. It was strange. Usually, they'd be guarding him from all fronts, possibly worried that he'd do crazy things to himself.

*Creak…*

Perking up, he could hear the way the door was pushed open, scraping against the tiled floor. Into the room, came an oddly normal-looking girl, dressed in those hospital clothes with pink hair and horns. Wait, what?

He was particularly worried as to why she had horns. Even as she sat on the couch beside him, a distance away, he couldn't help but feel in danger.

Knowing that they were probably being monitored, as always, Young-ae decided to strike a conversation with this girl, just to satisfy those stupid adults.

"H-Hey…" He waved his hand in front of him, trying to gain her attention.

Slowly, she tilted her head towards his direction, eyebrow raised in questioning.

"A-Ah…" He cleared his throat, seemingly at a lost for words. What could he say? This was a complete stranger. "Y-Young-ae…"

"…Young-ae?" She repeated, her voice soft.

"That's my name," he informed her, earning a nod of understanding from the girl. "And how about you?"

"…" She couldn't say it, but for some odd reason whatsoever, it was as if she could trust this boy. This stranger. "…Lucy."

"Ahh, Lucy, I see…" He eyed the camera in the distance, wary of what the men behind the computers were doing right now. Possibly jotting notes; the only thing they could do. "Sorry."

"Hmm?" Apologies were only used when someone wronged the other. In this case, it was strange why he was apologising, considering that he hadn't wrong her at all.

"For, you know, being scared of you earlier," he chuckled, facing her now. "I was a bit cautious of you. I didn't know who you were, so… You know."

"Yeah…" And for the briefest of moments, the corners of her lips tugged upwards, forming a little smile, fading to a blank look afterwards. "So Young-ae, are you Korean?"

"Korean and Japanese," he answered, surprised that he hadn't start biting himself or the like. Conversations really do take your mind off of things, apparently. "Question. What are you?"

"I'm… not sure," she seemed to struggled with her words, a trace of confusion in her sentence. "But I've heard the doctors refer to me as a 'Diclonius'."

The name clicked in his mind, as he remembered reading up on the subject once.

The Diclonii—plural form of Diclonius—possessed a look similar to humans, the difference being internal and external. A safe way to identify one was the presence of horns protruding from the parietal section of their skulls. One other simpler way, was that all Diclonii possessed hair in the hues of red and pink, their eyes matching colours as well.

Internally, it was all the more complex. 'Vectors', a weapon the Diclonii possess that resembles arms, that come from the back, and are capable of dealing quite the damage. Even then, he didn't fully understand how these Vectors worked, and decided to let them be.

"Hey Young-ae," the boy looked to his new friend—he was happy if she considered him the same way—who passed him a slip of paper, closing his hands so to keep it hidden, possibly from the camera. "Read it… But do not let the scientists know…"

The way she sounded made this seem like it was really serious. And the look in her eyes was one that wasn't fooling him. Rather, it was asking him to trust her, to put his faith in this girl he had just met today.

He weighed the options, knowing that, if this was truly as serious as she made it to be, then it could be considered an offence to the scientists in some way. They would probably take this as a threat, and consider neutralising her were they to discover this paper he held in his hand.

And as such, he couldn't help but nod in return.

"I promise," he answered, earning a look of relief from the girl.

 _"Alright, that's enough. Subject 16, Queen, both of you are to be returned to your containment cells at once,"_ the speakers blared to life, and both children turned to the camera.

"…Please read it, alright?" She asked one more time, a pleading look on her face.

*Pah.*

But it instantly turned to one of of surprise, realising that his hand lay on her forehead, moving in a patting manner, as she heard. But never had she thought it felt this nice.

"I will, don't worry," he chuckled, stepping from the couch.

* * *

That Night

Waking up in the midst of the night was something that was somewhat normal by now. The scientists merely regarded it as the need to either eat, go to the bathroom, drink, trouble with sleeping, or wanting to injure himself. If it was the last part, then the guards stationed outside his containment cell will rush in and proceed to stop him.

However, tonight was different.

'I need to read this paper…' He though, having to hide it in his hospital outfit all this time.

Stepping away from the bed, he made his way to his bathroom. Kill two birds with one stone, he thought; he'd be able to read the paper discreetly, as they decided not to install a camera in there, and…

'I really need to go..!' He only realised that he had been holding his bladder all this while, so this was good timing.

Stepping into the bathroom, which consisted only of a toilet and a faucet opposite of it, he sat on the toilet and shutting the door, letting himself go.

"Haaa…" He sighed in relief, feeling refreshed already.

However, he remembered the other reason he came here in the first place.

Pulling out the paper from inside his outfit, he began to read it.

* * *

 _"To the boy named Young-ae,_

 _It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now, what is written in this paper is extremely important. It must be kept only to you, and only to yourself. Do not, I say, do NOT spread this to anyone else. Trust none of the scientists, you hear me?_

 _Ahem, in any case, I suppose I shall start with why I had Lucy hand you this slip of paper. You see, we are beings just like you. Man and monster who wish nothing more than freedom. These madmen who call themselves 'scientists' are nothing more than wicked bastards in human skin._

 _On the twentieth, this month, we will be escaping, my boy. Yes, we will gain the freedom we so deserve on that very day._

 _I only ask that you sit tight, and await the joyous moment. Do not fret, you do not need to do anything. I only ask that you bear with this pain for a little longer._

 _Thank you for reading._

 _~Your Ally_

* * *

"…" Staring at the paper, and skimming through the contents once more, he found himself pondering on whether to trust this anonymous person or not.

Freedom was never a choice for him and the others that inhabit these enclosed spaces. They were contained, seen as test subjects that could possibly help in 'rebuilding' their society. Young-ae was, as much as he hated to admit it, trapped.

But this stranger talked so much about freedom. The twentieth, a Saturday. Every Saturday, each cell undergoes a check-up, to ensure that the test subjects are all healthy and fine.

So they would commence their escape on that day.

"Hah," he couldn't help but laugh at the thought. "Freedom, huh? Wonder where I should go then…"

The human world was full of things he didn't know. No matter, he'll find out what to do with his boring life one way or another.

He flushed away the toilet's contents, and decided to dispose of this paper through other means. Should he have flushed it, the scientists would have discovered it, seeing that they even connected his toilet to a cleansing chamber to ensure that there weren't anything wrong with his excretory system.

The paper was the type from those really old notepads. It seemed that the person had used fountain pen ink to write this.

Knowing what to do, Young-ae started the faucet, allowing the water to pool up. With that, he pushed the paper into the water, scrubbing the paper hard. He had to make sure that the ink would come off of the paper.

Soon enough, the water started turning blue, indicating that whatever he was doing was working. He continued even more, pulling out the paper and smiling in satisfaction when there were no more traces of writing on it.

He ripped the paper into shreds, the task easy after it had absorbed too much water. He drained the faucet, allowing it to bring away the ink and shreds to wherever.

A fact that he found rather strange and utterly stupid, was how they had piped his toilet to check on him, when they had utterly left his faucet alone. No matter, it worked well in his favour anyways.

And as such, after washing his hands, he returned to his bedroom, and fell asleep once more.

* * *

Thirteenth of January—S **ev** en D **a** ys Befo **r** e **Es** cape

"Oi oi oi! Be careful, you dolt!" The chief scientist scolded his subordinate, the latter shrinking under his stern gaze. "If we so much as damage him, we're going to lose our jobs! I don't care if you get kicked out, but don't even think about dragging me with you!"

"S-Sorry, sir…" The subordinate gulped.

Young-ae had to deal with the banters, sitting on the stretcher with a bored look. His mind had been on nothing particular, until it would return to the letter he read just yesterday.

It was an amusing thought, to be honest. This person had the audacity to think that he'd be able to free a young child and possibly million others contained. Would he succeed? Or would he be captured, beheaded, and fed to the boars?

Either way, Young-ae wouldn't mind seeing both happen.

Truth be told, the years that passed with him stuck to this place had made him grow somewhat unhopeful of freedom. In fact, were he given to choice to, he would just laugh at the thought. It was stupid! If he were allowed to be free, he would have run off to the green meadows a long time ago!

The scientists. One could easily blame the scientists for capturing them, and putting them into the testing chambers, but Young-ae decided that it was better to blame themselves. They either allowed themselves to be captured, or they were careless. They should have tried harder to run away, he would say.

"Subject 16," the person in question looked to the chief scientist. "You're moving to the testing chamber. We're going to conduct tests on your transformation once more. If you'd please."

He hated doing that. Every time he activated his transformation, he would go berserk, and attack anything in sight. Then it'd end up with four or five guards beating him with their batons, or outright stunning him with their tazers.

"…Okay," he nodded.

He allowed the guards to escort him to the testing chamber, a large room with white for floors and walls and ceiling. It was such a dull room, until the tests began. From there, there would be blood splattered everywhere, replacing the white with sickening red.

And the boy hated that the cause of it was him himself. He was forced to attack innocent subjects, lest he earn himself another controlled shock.

When he was brought into the testing chamber, there was another girl before him. She had pale skin—possibly an albino, she is, with white bright red eyes and silver hair. The jumpsuit she wore had given him the thought that she was a mad girl, but he dared say it out loud.

 _"Now Subject 16, here, we have Subject 87, who will be your training buddy for the day,"_ the boy couldn't help but notice how he snickered at the end of his statement. _"Your task for the day, is to survive against her."_

Survive. The action of continuing to exist or live despite the danger. It was so used, that Young-ae had thought it worn out by now. Even then, he couldn't help but like the sound of it. Survive, survive…

"Hello!" He was snapped out of his thoughts when the pale girl waved at him, a bright smile on her face despite the fact that he'd have to attack her.

"Huh..?" He blinked, somewhat in disbelief that she wasn't afraid of him. Looking to his left and right, and realising that this was not a joke, he decided that maybe pleasantries could be held before the fight. "Umm… Hey."

"So, you're the one that's going to fight me, huh?" She started stretching herself, oblivious to the supposed tension in the room. Or, if she did notice it, she was doing a whole heck of a job of ignoring it.

"Y-Yeah, I suppose so…" He coughed into his fist, feeling slightly awkward. He was going to fight this girl, but how she had basically conversed with him made him not want to fight her in the first place. 'Then again… She could be pretty strong.'

The jumpsuit she wore even had large gloves covering the whole of her hands. From there, he had a guess that she was extremely powerful, and that they were there to reduce the damage she could inflict.

Right now, he was more curious about the extent of her abilities rather than he was afraid.

 _"Subject 16, if you'd please,"_ the chief scientist was pissed, no doubt. The way he held himself back from hissing was clear.

"Understood," he nodded to where the scientists were watching, before turning back to the girl, a pitiful look on his face. "Sorry about this."

"Nah, it's okay!" She giggled, confusing him as to how she could remain calm in a situation such as this. "Oh hey, we should give each other our names first! Shiro here!"

"True that. Young-ae," he smiled inwardly, happy that such a girl had manners, even if she looked to have a loose screw in that head of hers.

Breathing out, he made sure to keep calm in this situation. It would do him bad if he lost his nerves now, as he never had done so before this.

And yet… There was a part of his heart that kept telling him not to kill her. To injure her, yes, but not to the point where she would die. He trusted her, just as much as he trusted Lucy.

Nodding to himself, he knew what to do.

"Rrrhaaa!" Letting out a beastly growl, he arched his back.

*Phraagh!*

Blood red protruded from his back, taking form of eight tentacles. The eight of them wavered around, awaiting their wielder's command.

His left eye underwent the same, disturbing shift as always. His iris grew red, and the sclera turned black as night. Red veins popped up along the eye, further intensifying the horrifying look.

And yet…

"Whoa, your eye turned black!" Shiro, so much innocence displayed in that smile of hers, couldn't help but clap, giggling at the same time. "That's so cool!"

"C-Cool..?" He sweat-dropped, wondering why she was calling this cool. Disturbing, terrifying, scary… But not _cool_!

And yet, a small part of him couldn't help but feel enjoyed.

"Alright-y then," he sighed, before lowering his body by a bit. "Sorry about this, Shiro, but I'm going to have to fight you."

"It's okay! It'll be fun!" She beamed at him, eliciting small chuckles from the boy.

"If you say so…" The other eight-year-old before him amused him, and he found himself surprised at how he was able to retain his control over himself. 'Usually, I'd… Wow, maybe life is starting to get interesting.'

And with a smirk, the boy kicked off from the ground, leaping into the air before willing his kagune—he heard the scientists calling this weapon of his that—to spiral forwards, close to hitting his opponent.

*Bam!*

"Whoa!" The albino had jumped away, a look of amazement on her face. "Young-ae's so strong!"

"Not really…" It was hard to take this seriously, despite him having to have broken the floor, creating a large crater in the process. 'Add to the fact that Shiro speaks in a third-person way… Yup, this is going to be hard.'

Rushing forwards, he tried to strike at Shiro, holding himself back so to miss her. And yet, much to his surprise, she was easily dodging his every attack with ease. Smiling, he decided to go all-out.

And that didn't work.

*Bam!* *Boom!* *Bam!*

"You can't catch me!" She laughed, avoiding every of his attack. Where Young-ae struck, massive pieces of tiles were broken and dismantled, flying into the air.

"I will, though!" He always took his opponents seriously, but right now, fighting with Shiro, he couldn't help but laugh. This really is like a game.

She didn't need to strike back, or even parry, like those sword fights. He kept missing her, and it wasn't even on purpose. She was just too fast for him to land a strike on.

Deciding to switch his tactics for a more… stranger one, he lunged himself straight at Shiro, cocking his fist backwards before thrusting it forwards, fist making contact with nothing but air.

"Hey, nice one!" And she intended to return it. "And here's my own!"

*Bam!*

"Ghauh!" He was sent flying back, the one sheer hit from that gloved fist of hers sending wave after wave of thoughts into his head

That he wasn't the strongest there is, that he had a heart after all, that he was still humane that he could feel pain, and that he had felt utterly defeated by this girl.

*Crash!*

Sent straight into the wall, curtesy of the albino, he fell back onto the ground, mind in a blurry daze as he tried to register what had just—

Oh right. He just lost. To Shiro. A _girl_.

Let it be known from now on, that girls weren't those weak pests men make them to be.

And now, with rationality slowly growing back to its normal level, Young-ae was able to catch a glimpse of Shiro, a pitiful look adorning her face, and—

*Smooch!*

"W-What?" The blush that covered his skin came in like a flash, in response to how the girl had suddenly leaned in close to his face, laying a smooth kiss on his cheek.

"Shiro was taught that if you ever hurt someone, then you have to make it up with them," she explained, a simple smile adorning her look next. "And Shiro heard the best way to do it, is by giving them a kiss!"

"W-Well…" It was hard to tell her that any normal person would only kiss their relatives or their loved ones, but the shock from just this simple action had spun his world in a three-sixty degrees.

 _"Alright, that's enough for now,"_ a small hint of surprise could be heard in his voice, but he was otherwise fine. _"Subject 16 and Subject 87, the both of you are to be returned to your containment cells."_

"Neh neh! Young-ae!" She suddenly called him, leaning in close to his face to speak to him. "You know what's going to happen, right?"

He knew exactly what she meant. The day of freedom. Saturday.

"Yeah," he nodded in understanding.

"Okay!" She beamed at him, stepping away from the boy and pulling him up to his feet. "Alright-y then, bye-bye!"

The moment she left, that one single moment was all he needed. For himself to gain privacy for himself, to touch the spot where she had just kissed him earlier.

And he smiled.

* * *

Fifteenth of January— **F** ive Da **y** s **B** efore Escap **e**

Five more days, he knew, and he couldn't help but feel excited.

Strange. He had never felt excited at thinking about a certain thought for so long. Other than the thought of making the scientists' life harder, by possibly killing himself, this was the first time he's ever been excited at something else.

Lying on his bed, tonight, or today—there were no clocks in his room, and the lack of windows only made it hard to tell, not that he'd even need rooms, considering that this base was situated underground—he was having a hard time to fall asleep.

Thankfully, his difficulty to fall asleep tonight wasn't a rare occurrence by now, to the point where it has been noted in the scientists' 'List of Young-ae's Behaviours', much to the boy's chagrin.

Pushing himself off of his bed, he made his way towards the bathroom. Stepping into it, he started the faucet, letting the water run and pool up. He splashed some onto his face.

"…What am I thinking?" He chuckled, draining the faucet. "Should I really be hoping for this?"

Two reasons why he was hoping for the day to come. Two reasons.

One, was the excitement. Maybe there would be a riot, and he'd be able to break loose. Maybe he'd kill those scientists, tear them apart like tissue, possibly eat them along the way. Then again, he wouldn't dare to do it. Those rotten beings would probably taste like dung in his mouth.

Two, was the thought of the escape truly becoming real. What if they did succeed? When they break out of here, they would return to the surface, and come across a world of modern lifestyles. Maybe… Maybe he'd try playing those game consoles he's seen in the magazines he's read before.

So what if this never happened. What if it was just some stupid pipe dream this person decided to write to him just for the sake of it? To instil hope in someone, only to have it trampled by these madmen.

"…Ahh well," he sighed, leaving the bathroom to return to his bed. 'Might as well just see how things go.'

* * *

Eighteenth of January— **T** wo Da **ys** B **ef** ore Esc **a** pe

"Very well, Subject 16, we're going to do a blood test on you, so we'll be taking blood samples from you," the chief scientist pulled out a syringe. "You're not sick, are you?"

"No, I've taken my medicines," he shook his head.

A thing he realised, was that they could never harvest his blood whenever he was sick. Some strange reasons, he thought, but it was probably to make sure that they only get pure blood from him. Contaminated blood was a huge no-no to them, for some strange reason he didn't know.

And if he were sick, they would put him in this green room, and connect him to multiple tubes. The whole process was painful, and it made him feel cold. It was like dying, sometimes. He hated it. That's why, if possible, he'd try to make sure to stay in his room as much as he could. It was a germs-free haven for him.

"Alright then, please take a seat on the bed," the chief scientist spoke again, cracking his neck as well.

Young-ae did as he was told. He walked up the little steps and took a seat on the bed, calmly awaiting the moment to come.

For the syringe to poke through his skin, air pressure in the jet decreasing, allowing blood to enter it. Then pulled out, leaving a numb, cold sensation on his arm.

* * *

Nineteenth of January—On **e** M **or** e **D** ay Befo **re** Es **c** ape

The girls he's met before… He couldn't stop but think about them each time he starts going to sleep every time.

Lucy, the strange Diclonius who could possibly destroy the world. Reading up on her race, it isn't hard to consider them killing machines. And yet, she's such a sweet girl, who couldn't even manage to stay serious when he patted her.

Then there was Shiro, the strangely stronger girl than he was. She was, despite how she looked, strangely cute. Maybe she was the same age as he was? They could be better friends if they didn't have to deal with all these horrible adults, probably.

The SCP's… They scared him, to be honest. He never thought of himself capable of being afraid of things, but here he was. Brought into that chamber with SCP-173, he thought his life was about to end before him. He thought that he was actually going to die back there.

Luckily, the scientists had mercy on him, and decided that he would live a little bit longer.

So right now, on his bed, maybe he'd try to think of something else.

But it was difficult to even think about dying now. It had long been pushed back, to the point where the very thought had long disappeared. These nights, he's only been thinking about the girls, about the letter, about tomorrow… He never even thought about the scientists, or the painful tests he's undergone, or anything else that much now.

Had Young-ae ever thought about freedom? He had once, but not a lot anymore. But now, with the letter, he's beginning to dream of skyscrapers, and blue birds, and stretches of plains, and the glimmering ocean, and the women in bikini—

'Oh wait, no, not the last part… I'm still eight,' he thought, smiling ruefully. He'll think about love when he's older. Maybe sixteen?

* * *

Twentieth of January— **E** sca **p** e D **ay**

'Alright, today's the day, so… Where is it?' He had half-expected this to happen. For absolutely nothing to happen. And yet, the other half, he did hope for something.

He knew that he should have at least reacted a bit more to this. He knew he should have. Any normal person would.

If a man was given the news that his wife was to die the next day, he'd be in massive shock. Young-ae, however, would come to accept it on the very same day he was given the news, and would soon come to pass it. Shock will never take over him, as his heart had long lost the ability to feel.

That was just it. He wasn't normal. In fact, nothing about him was. Biologically, he wasn't even a human. Yes, maybe one of his parents were, but it still meant nothing. Psychologically, he thought in ways that an eight-year-old shouldn't be thinking, but he does it nonetheless.

He should have smiled, knowing that the dark part of his heart, which doubted this person's goal, had won. He should have frowned, since his bright side of his heart, which had put some faith in this anonymous person that whatever he was trying to accomplish succeeded, had lost this battle.

"Oh well… I suppose I was a fool to get so worked up on something so childish…" Was he? He didn't know. But he supposed it didn't matter now.

Waking up properly, he underwent the same process he'd go through each time he woke up; he'd go to the bathroom, wash his face and some of his body with water with the faucet—the scientists were so stingy, not sparing him a shower head at the very least—get dressed in a new set of hospital clothes freshly served on the table at the foot of his bed, and awaited the next.

For the guards or scientist to walk in, take him out of his room, lock the door, and take him to a hold-up area.

He called it hold-up area, because there, they would rest their loins and wait while the scientists and cleaners check on their containment cells, just in case there was anything wrong. To ensure one's health and comfort, it must start from their home, after all.

And yet, waiting for the past _one_ minute, none came. Strange.

He was never wrong. Timing was one of these blasted madmen's specialty. They would always make sure to get their timing right, no matter what. Young-ae knew, for a fact, that they had been neither late nor early by _a minute_.

This was strange. Bizarre. A strange twist.

As the boy sat there, pondering on why the scientists could be late, there was a loud rap on his door.

"Hmm?" Surprised that whoever it was had bothered knocking his door, he supposed it was fine to entertain them.

He moved to the door, unlocking it. Only when the door opened did his facial emotion shift from a blank state to a surprised one.

"Lucy?" He blinked in surprise, wondering what she was doing here.

"Jeez, we already gave you the letter, and all you do is sit in your room… What, needed an invitation?" She huffed, showing a bit more emotion than before.

Before he even had the chance to question her on what was going on, she gripped his arm, dragging him away.

"Wait, where are we going?" He asked.

"Out of this place," she answered.

"And what of the scientists?" The answer came to him, in the most unexpected form.

Walking down the corridor, the walls started to change in colour, possessing a slightly redder look. And yet, there was a difference, in the fact that more red began to show, until it painted the whole wall close to the broom closet in crimson.

Peeking into the keyhole, it was a massive shocker.

All the bodies, wearing the exact same white coats, now stained red beyond repair, were piled up on top of one another, broken and battered. Some possessed disfigured limbs, and many others had lost even their heads. One thing for sure, they were dead.

"…You killed them," it was more of a statement than anything.

"Yeah," she nodded, before pulling him away. "And you're surprisingly calm despite all that."

"Meh. Never liked them anyways," he snickered.

* * *

Arriving at the main hall where most scientists would usually walk around, now, it was barren, with the smell of burnt meat and iron wafting in the room.

What surprised him most, was how some of the scientists and guards weren't killed through explosion—Lucy's work, no doubt—but rather, had snapped necks. Who could've—

"AH HELL!" He jumped back, snapped to life as his eyes landed upon a being all too familiar.

"Hey, 173's on our side! Cool down!" Lucy, while she may have looked angry on the outside, had to put in so much effort just to stifle the laughter.

"Oh my God…" He panted a bit, clutching his chest as he stared at the entity. SCP-173, in the flesh, out of its containment cell. Who would've thought that was a great idea? "You seriously got it to join our side..?"

"Mmm, well, it's mostly 'cause of Shiro that it joined us in the first place," the Diclonius spoke up. "It wasn't hard, surprisingly. For her, I mean. She was talking to him like some sort of negotiator."

"What… actually happened, during then?" Hearing Shiro's name had him concerned. Was she injured during her conversation with SCP-173? Had there been any problems from it all? It worried him.

"No, there weren't," she shook her head, turning to look at the yellow creature. "Surprisingly, he's a friendly person. He only doesn't like nosy people."

"Yeah, something all of us share, I suppose," he sighed, looking at SCP-173. "So… we can count you as our ally?"

A moment of no response, and he remembered that SCP-173 could never make any motion as he stays under the sight of someone. To put it simply, he was the more natural version of the 'Weeping Angels'. Basically, as long as someone or something kept looking at it, it will not be able to move at all.

Unless you decide to threaten it by hitting it, which would instantly trigger its switch.

*Clack! Clack! Clack!*

The sounds of heavy footsteps rung loudly in the air, signifying the approaching of the wardens to the main hall. All of them were geared up, suited up, armed with batons, tasers and ballistic weapons.

"Halt! And return to your—" He never managed to finish his sentence.

*Boom!*

"Gyaah!" Screams filled the room, following the multiple explosions that derived from the multiple blood-red orbs that seemed to levitate all around them, as if blocking their advancement in the first place.

Later, right after the explosion was over, and the dust had died down, the wardens in armour, with shields and metal batons, all had been turned into piles of corpses.

And with that, a man wearing a calm grin, a green scarf and a simple white dress appeared, walking towards Young-ae and Lucy with Shiro and a what the hell is that?

"Uhh… Sir, what is…" He was afraid that he'd get the gender of that thing wrong, so he merely pointed his finger at the creature.

It was like some sort of lizard, or dog, or _something_. It already looked so disfigured, so messy. Whether it could still be considered as a living thing was a debate all on its own.

"Hmm?" Looking to where the boy pointed, he chuckled upon making the connections. "Ahh, this is SCP-682."

*Rrrha!*

"Umm… Okay…" He didn't know how to respond to that… he couldn't tell whether SCP-682 was a lizard, a dog, or something different. "Anyways, I suppose that you're the one that wrote that letter, right?"

"Indeed I am," he nodded. "I suppose I should introduce myself, considering that I haven't even give you my name yet. I am Nagi Kengamine."

"Ahh… Young-ae Cross," the boy replied, already feeling that he could trust the man. "In any case, I'm surprised that everything's so quiet. I was expecting a riot."

"Well, considering that the whole of this base consists of scientists, and even less of guards, it wasn't all that hard to take them all out," Lucy answered in Nagi's place. "In any case, this is our leader. He's the one that handles this operation."

"It was… a pity, to be honest. To put these men down," Nagi sighed, giving Young-ae the impression that he was a pacifist.

"Don't feel bad or anything. They've been putting our lives in a hellhole for so long. You only did what you did with the thought of everyone's safety in mind," he crossed his arms, his words able to calm the man's heart.

"Thank you," the man smiled, before looking to the group. "Alright. There's six of us. For now, we should focus on finding the elevators that shall lead us to the surface," the leader of the group ordered them, of which all gave nods of understanding, except Young-ae. "Alright, we should go in teams of three, and—"

"If you'd please," all eyes turned to the boy. "I'd like to go alone."

"Are you sure? It would be safer it you'd have at least one person to escort you," Nagi frowned, concern written well on his face.

"I know, it sounds like an invitation for death. But I'd rather go alone. I want to see how good I am in a situation alone," he explained. "I want to break loose. Plus, I'd be able to prove my worth to you in the process."

"What do you mean by that?" Everyone had leaned in closer to the boy the moment their leader asked this question.

It was such a ridiculous thought. To think that he was a weak being, considering that he was the only half-ghoul in this whole base. Even then, his defeat at Shiro's hands had ultimately shattered a bit of his pride, leaving him to wonder what other beings out there in this vast world that are stronger than him.

Would he need to truly explain what he truly meant? No, no way. It was too emotional.

"Don't worry about that so much. The details aren't important here," he gave a lazy wave at his way. "Nonetheless, I haven't eaten yet. I suppose I should go find the kitchen soon."

* * *

Flashback

 _Deciding to switch his tactics for a more… stranger one, he lunged himself straight at Shiro, cocking his fist backwards before thrusting it forwards, fist making contact with nothing but air._

 _"Hey, nice one!" And she intended to return it. "And here's my own!"_

 _*Bam!*_

 _"Ghauh!" He was sent flying back, the one sheer hit from that gloved fist of hers sending wave after wave of thoughts into his head_

 _That he wasn't the strongest there is, that he had a heart after all, that he was still humane that he could feel pain, and that he had felt utterly defeated by this girl._

 _*Crash!*_

* * *

"Ah damn it…" He sighed, crossing his arms as he looked in the large freezer room. He was busy searching through the sections to find where human was placed at.

All along the way, coming here, the scientists had been left dead, broken and totally massacred—must have been Lucy's work, the last part. And even if there had been survivors, he hadn't left them alive, of course. He made quick work of them, and he was relatively happy with the results.

But remembering now that he had been thinking of his defeat by Shiro, he had one thought on his mind.

'I probably like her,' his words weren't even holding adoration or infatuation. It was just a statement, made to acknowledge the situation. For certain, he does like her, but it was just as much as he liked everyone else.

The people he's met were nice. Why would he _not_ like them?

*Bam!*

"Yhaa!" He knocked aside the guard that stood before him, before plunging his kagune deep into his body, making deep cuts and holes. He bled profusely, until he finally died, dropping down limp.

"All of you are so weak. Once you're in disarray, you're unable to do much," he sighed in disappointment.

He continued walking around the freezer. Meat was hung up by hooks everywhere around him, but there was nothing that he could consume.

Being a ghoul, even with part of the blood in him, he was unable to consume food items other than man. It was a disgusting thought, but it was fact. Simple, constant fact. Were he to try putting other things into his symptom, he would grow sick, and possibly grow weaker. The only other things that he could consume were coffee and plain drinking water.

And blood. But he would only drink blood if there was no coffee or water. Plus, he wasn't a vampire.

His train of thoughts finally ended after he spotted a large collection of meat, with a sign up on the ceiling saying 'Subject 16's Supplementary'. This meant that all the meat here was his, safe to say.

Not wasting a moment, he decided to find any fresh new meat for him to eat. He was, surprisingly enough, quite picky with what he was going to eat. The scientists always had to bring in fresh human for him. If it had been untouched for two weeks, he wasn't going to bat an eye at the meat.

However, breaking his little moment of searching, was his inevitable stumbling upon a locked-up room. Secured with a heavy, metal door and a simple lock that prevented anyone from going in or out, it had him wonder just what was kept in here.

"Someone must be contained in there," he concluded, reaching his hand towards the door. He was hungry, but he supposed he could hold off the food for now.

Outstretching his kagune from inside his body, he ripped the door with ease, creating a large, gaping hole in the wall.

"Hey, is anyone in there?" He asked in a bored fashion, deciding not to go in. Just in case, he told himself.

"Yes!" A female voice resounded from the room, before a grey haired woman in the same hospital-themed outfit everyone else were wearing came out. "Nemissa's free!"

"Oh, damn it…" Another person who spoke in third-person. He supposed that there was nothing he could do. "Hey, excuse me?"

"Hmm?" The woman turned around, eyebrow cocking in surprise. "Were you the one that freed me?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Young-ae Cross. You?"

"Oh, I see, thank you then!" She smiled, lips the colour of dark nights. "I am Nemissa, a demon!"

"A demon, you say? Okay, I suppose I can accept that," he nodded in understanding. "Listen, Nemissa, we're about to escape out of here. You wanna' come with?"

"Oh, you're about to leave this dump of a laboratory? Then count me in!" Nemessa gleefully chimed in, a bright grin fixed on her face. "Come on, let's go!"

"No, you should go on ahead," he shook his head, her smile now replaced with a questioning look. "If you go straight down this corridor, you should see a group of people. Just say that you know me, they'll understand enough."

"And what about you?" She titled her head to the side.

"I have some business to do here," he wasn't lying about that part. He just didn't want to tell her about what.

"Oh… Alright then," she nodded. "You'd better not just leave without us!"

"I won't, trust me," he smiled softly, shaking his head. "Now go. Off with you."

With a nod, the female demon ran to where he was before. Once she was out of earshot, he finally gave out a sigh.

"I just freed a demon from her containment," he muttered, before a snicker left his lips. "Ah, what the hell. Nagi freed those SCP's. I guess what he did was way cooler."

And off he left for the freezer section once more.

* * *

After having filled his stomach, and reenergised, the boy continued his search for any escape routes. He had slew quite a number of people here and there, leaving a bloody trail of mush meat everywhere around him.

He decided to continue his little venturing alone, not wanting to bother the others.

However, searching around this damn base or laboratory or whatever it was—it could be both—would possibly take forever, so he decided to find the layouts to this accursed place.

Luckily enough, the chief scientist was a fool to bring his phone with him. This was because Young-ae knew he kept a map of the base with him in his phone.

Returning to the same room with medicines and terrifying machines to the eyes of a child, he searched the body of the chief scientist. It took some time, but he finally got his hands on the phone.

Clicking on the button on the side, the phone's screen glowed to life, showing a picture of a pale-skin boy with multiple scars and sewings on his body.

'He just had to make _me_ his wallpaper…' He clicked his tongue in annoyance, producing his kagune and smashing the head, popping it like a watermelon. The contents flew everywhere, a bloody mess. "Okay, what would the password be..?"

It was a simple PIN code. It required four numbers, ranging from zero to nine. He thought on the numbers for a while. With no such ideas coming into mind, he randomly clicked on the keypad. It took some time, until—

*Kring!*

"Huh?" He blinked in surprise, realising that it only gave him access when he clicked on the numbers '1 2 3 4'. He blew a raspberry in amusement. "What sort of idiot just uses the first four numbers as the password? Such an idiot."

Swiping the phone, he located the galleries section. Strange. He had never used a phone before, but just seeing others use it gave him enough knowledge on how it worked, and how one must work it.

Now, the mapping showed itself to the boy, who smiled in satisfaction. Knowing now what to do, he returned to where everyone else were before.

But arriving there, there was surprisingly no one. They must have left, just as he did.

"Oh well. I suppose I could wait for them," he shrugged, taking a seat on the nearby chairs.

He would wait. No way he could leave without them.

* * *

An Hour Later

Young-ae knew that he must not ever _not_ do anything. If he just sat still, not doing anything, not counting numbers in his mind, or thinking about such an intricate subject, slowly, the urge to fall asleep would make itself known.

And an hour had passed. And during that time, he had fallen asleep half the hour ago.

Footsteps that came towards him woke him up. He snapped out of his sleep, readying himself in case he were under attacked. Thankfully, it was just the others.

Nagi, Shiro, Lucy, Nemissa, SCP-173 and SCP-682, all of whom had looks of surprise when they noticed him sitting there.

"Young-ae? What are you doing here?" Nagi broke the silence, asking what was possibly on everyone else's minds.

"Ahh… Sorry about that. I dozed off waiting for you guys," he coughed into his fist, standing now. "So, did you find the exit or anything?"

"None, unfortunately…" Lucy sighed, before a stern look matched her features. "But more importantly, have you been sleeping here while the rest of us were trying to find the exit?"

"Nope. I thought that, if we were to just try to find it on our own, we'd be wasting out time. As such," he pulled out the phone. "I decided that we'd need the layouts for this place, first and foremost."

"Ahh! So that way, we can easily navigate through this area!" The man in the room gave an 'Ohh!', a grateful smile on his face. "Good thinking, Young-ae."

"Of course," he chuckled, handing the phone. "Password is '1 2 3 4'. The map is located in the photos."

"Alright, let's see…" It didn't take long to find the map. Nagi scanned the layout for a while, all eyes on him as he continued checking it. "I see… So the exit's located on the east wing. We're currently on the west wing."

"And how do we get there?" Shiro raised her hand as she asked.

"Hmm… From here, we can get to the west wing, by taking a left at the medics centre, and…" While Nagi was busy rambling on and on, Young-ae couldn't help but notice how a little girl with black hair was watching him.

Blink.

She was gone.

'What the…' The boy couldn't help but feel chills just as she vanished in thin air. It was some time later did he realise that he was being called by Shiro. "Huh?"

"Nagi says you, me and 682 are going together," the girl informed him.

"Oh. Okay," he nodded in understanding. "Though, why aren't we going all together?"

*Rghaa!*

SCP-682 came, letting out a growl that befitted such a creature.

"…I'm sorry, but I can't understand what you said," he blinked.

"She says that it helps us getting detected less," the albino answered, earning a look of genuine surprise from the boy. She smiled back. "Yup! Shiro can understand 682!"

Deep down, he was surprised how Shiro had just called SCP-682 a _she_. But besides that, the ability to actually comprehend what it— _she_ meant, was just as surprising as the fact before.

"Haa… What have I gotten myself into..?" Despite this sombre-sounding statement of his, he couldn't help but let a smile form. "This is way better than the scientists."

And off they went.

* * *

SCP-682. Object class, Keter, just as he was.

There were three primary object classes to classify an SCP. Safe, which meant that the scientists understood them enough to know that they weren't difficult anomalies to control, and could interact with on a basis. Euclid, which was used for anomalies that possessed a pattern that was counted as unpredictable. And lastly, Keter, which meant that the anomalies were a threat to mankind, and to the personnel in the base.

It kind of made sense. Young-ae, despite obediently following their every words, could rip them in half or shatter them whenever he wanted to, which he has done since he's escaped.

Young-ae had been returned the phone of which he had given Nagi, and, unsurprisingly enough, the chief scientist held information over every SCP's in encrypted files.

Reading up on SCP-682, it turned out that it—she is a reptilian-like creature, possessing an incomprehensible strength, vitality, reflexes and, weirdly enough, intelligence. Reports have stated that she has had successful conversations with a scientist once, who went by the name of… Scratch that. His name was censored.

And an interesting thing to note, was that she was to be destroyed at all costs. And the multiple reports on how they had tried to eradicate her were admittedly funny—one of which where someone had offered the idea to use a 60 MT thermonuclear bomb, ultimately denied by one of the O5's, stating that if scope-682 survives and adapts to that, they'd be, in the man's words, 'boned beyond belief'.

Nonetheless, he could understand why they were so afraid of the lizard. She was powerful, and no SCP's nor items had managed to finish her off. And in a battle, she was the ultimate winner. One clear instance is—

*Rhgaa!* *Shing!*

"Ghaah!" Blood splurged from the gash on his abdomen, curtesy of the reptile-like creature. More guards came in, and she swapped her attention to them.

Bullets began to fly, piercing through her skin and flesh. Despite this, she managed to strike at them, killing them off by either devouring them or ripping them apart with her strong claws. Screams rounded up, and none of them survived against the lizard.

"…Wow," Young-ae blinked in surprise, earning a smile(?) from the SCP. He gulped in fear.

"Nice one, 682!" Shiro was far too carefree in these sort of situations. "Well, let's go!"

And off they go, with Shiro leading the way as she skipped, humming a lovely tune, with SCP-682 right behind her, a messy sound leaving her lips, which the boy soon realised that it was actually her trying to hum following the albino's rhythm, and Young-ae a distance away.

As SCP-2305 and SCP-2305-A had said, 'Don't f**k with the gecko. **:C** '.

* * *

West Wing

Finally getting past all the irritating obstacles, ranging from piles of rubble, to more guards, to death traps, and more guards, they finally reached the medics centre. From there, they took a turn to the left, finally entering the west wing area.

Young-ae was surprised that he, Shiro and SCP-682 were the only ones here. From there, they decided to wait for the others.

But during this brief moment of rest, Young-ae had wondered where the other residents of this base had gone to. He had been expecting to run into some of the SCP's, or even some other people, but the absence of them made him feel as if this whole place had been abandoned, now barren. It scared him, to be honest.

The way how footsteps were so loud, ringing through the corridors. How the wind sounds like moans, flowing through the rooms, uncontrolled. How, due to the lack of people, it made Young-ae feel as if there were those in hiding, watching him from the shadows.

Maybe he was becoming a bit too paranoid about this.

The young boy was brought out of his thoughts when he saw multiple silhouettes coming towards him and his group. He prepared himself to rip them new ones, until he saw that it was just Nagi and the rest. He sighed in relief.

"Ah, there you are. We were wondering where you were," the man smiled. "Were there any troubles?"

"Some, yes, but nothing that 682 couldn't handle," he shrugged, the SCP in question nodding in response.

"Well, that's good to hear," he smiled. "Alright then. From here, we just need to go straight. We'll see the exit soon enough."

"Okay then," Young-ae gave a firm nod. "Lead the way."

Now together once more, the large group—the SCP's, the Deadman, as Nagi called himself, the Diclonius, the albino, the demon and the young boy—moved to where the exit was. Straight down the corridor, until they found a room with multiple elevators.

And of course, bodies of the personnels who worked here, all dead and battered beyond recognition.

This must have meant that the others have long escaped, so they were late to the party. They were the last people to be here. Sad, but a fact.

Stepping into separate elevators, they let the mechanical objects take them off. One thing for certain, each elevator was taking them all up to the surface.

'This is really it,' the day he received the letter, he had thought it all to be phoney, that it was just some pipe dream. He wasn't expecting it to actually become reality.

It felt too easy, too simple. Usually, in situations like this, there would be a certain battle, a certain difficulty that they would be met with in their quest to be free. There should have been a force of resistance. Something, anything to make this harder.

…This can't be real, right?

"Hey Young-ae, what's a 'star'?" Shiro wondered, a look of innocent curiosity on that face of hers.

'…Nah, it's real,' he smiled back.

*Ping!*

The elevator finally stopped ascending. When the doors parted, everyone didn't waste time getting out.

They were still in the base, that much was certain, but everyone knew; this was the final step before they'd truly be free.

It felt too easy. How things went so perfectly to their plan. To Nagi's plan.

'I better thank him once all of this is over…' He looked to the man in question, frowning. 'I doubt I'd see him ever again…'

Again, they moved together, now towards the exits. Just in case, of course, Young-ae was acting as as the more vigilant person of them all, constantly eyeing his surroundings in case there were any enemies around them.

He was always a paranoid kid. And freedom wasn't going to change that soon.

But the moment they came upon the true exit, they stopped.

"…" Young-ae didn't know what to say. Would he really be fine with this new life? To be away from this laboratory? From his containment cell? Away from all the tests and careful stares? From the lonely life he once had?

…Yeah, maybe it should be fine. Maybe.

"Well, it's time," Nagi sighed, before looking to everyone else, a smile creasing his face. "So, I suppose this might be the last time we'd ever see each other again. It's been a good time together, despite it being short."

"Pity, really. We were just starting to get along," the boy added, his own lazy grin forming.

"Too true. And it pains me to say, but this is the moment we separate," he sighed, a frown on his face replaced with a smile of hope after a moment. "Maybe, if fate is willing, we could meet again someday. All of us."

"Ooh, that would be nice!" Shiro smiled brightly, Nemissa and Lucy nodding as well.

*Rhara!*

SCP-682 made a growl that bubbled with joy, with 173 merely standing still.

"Well then," and Nagi placed his hand on the glass door, a look of hope befitting his face. "May the Gods bring you a good life."

And he pushed it open.

* * *

 **A/N: Fun fact, I have a problem.**

 **Highschool DxD is, by far, one of the only anime that strikes me as a special entity, all on its own. It possesses the capability to synchronize well with other genres, due to how it covers such wide topics, ranging from demons to the Norse mythology. Everything, if you know how to make it so, fits quite well with the story.**

 **So this is my fourth story coming to fruit. Time to up my game. Anyways, see you all next time!**


	3. Chapter 2

"I really like you!" - Speech

'Too much, huh?' - Thoughts

 _"And just like that…"_ \- Flashback

*Brr!* *Smack!*- Sound effects

* * *

Chapter 2: **Und** er th **e** Drago **n'** s Wi **ng**

After that supposedly tearful separation—Young-ae remembered vividly, of how everyone else looked ready to tear up—the boy had decided that he'd rather stay away from society.

The thing is, he was a half-ghoul. A being that possessed blood of a ghoul, thus required to feed on humans to continue living. He held himself not to enter the realm of man, in case he'd go rabid, and start feasting on the humans there whenever he went mad with hunger.

He wasn't a vampire, after all.

As such, he decided that he'd travel.

With him being exposed to the surface, he had taken so much time thinking about things. In fact, he was surprised by how peaceful it was. There was no war, and no bloody tests as before. Everything was so cheerful, so bright… It felt surreal.

How the Sun was so bright, and how the Moon was so beautiful. How the sky was a radiant blue in the day, sleepy orange in the evening, and pitch black in the night. At times, he was lucky to see stars. Then, when rain came, he found himself enjoying it.

The surface was so much stranger than the base. He hadn't even thought of what wind felt like. Only when there was recently a gust passing by, did he finally consider himself lucky to have felt such a thing.

So far, he had been successful in keeping himself alive. His clothes were tattered slightly, but still wearable nonetheless. Along the way, he had stumbled upon a family, that was kind enough to give him a spare of outfits. He thanked them, and resumed with his journey.

And a week after that, he came upon a black-haired girl, sitting alone at a bus stop—it was what she told him. Feeling that she would be cold, he handed her the black jacket he wore, hoping that it would be enough. Afterwards, he continued.

Under snow, rain and sun, he didn't stop walking. Whenever he got hungry, he would go looking for a criminal to eat up. If there weren't any, he would pick off anyone who lived alone, or had no connections to other people.

He was picky. Ever since meeting the others back in the base, he had developed 'moral'. He had the urge to scrunch his face at the thought of eating a boy who had a family who loved him.

He was growing mellower, more _human_.

His journey deserved respect. He had travelled far, possibly two thousand miles from that twisted base. Now, he was in the harsh territory of forestry. Five months had passed since then.

"Hmm… A risky option," he thought to himself. "Not a lot of people here, and there is the risk of danger, possibly from wild beasts."

Then there would be the fact that he'd either have to live in a cave, if there was one in the first place, or he'd possibly live on the top of the trees, and he was not down for either—he was neither a caveman, nor was he a baboon.

"Forests are rich with plant life, but it's not like I can physically consume a banana or coconut anyways," he sighed, not noticing the presence behind him. "Plus, even if I _do_ go hunting for game, I'm still unable to eat them. Argh, why in the world does everything have to be so difficult..?"

"What do you mean?" A girl's voice, and he jumped in place.

Instantly turning himself around, and, with his teeth bared, he was met with the view of a little girl with black hair, wearing what seemed to be a loli-gothic outfit. Those blank eyes of hers, grey as ever.

Wait, he remembers her…

"Hey, aren't you the girl I met a few months ago?" Young-ae asked, somewhat surprised that she followed him all the way here.

"Indeed," she nodded. "I, am Ophis. And you are?"

"Oh, uhh…" He was taken aback by how quick she was to introducing herself to a stranger, but decided to humour her for a while. "Young-ae Cross. Mind if I ask you a question?"

"Of course," she nodded, that blank look of hers still kept up.

"Why in the Goddamned world did you follow me? On a two thousand miles trip no less," he crossed his arms, looking suspicious.

"I, merely took curiosity in you," she answered, eliciting a look of confusion from the girl. "You, who does not seem to truly be human."

"Oh? And how can you tell?" This time, he managed to smile a bit, amused by this girl's words.

"For one, you say that you, cannot eat anything besides human," so she heard him, it seems. "And two… I sense a strong power, from you."

"Hmm, I suppose the first part is my fault," he shrugged. "But the second part makes me wonder who, or what the hell you are."

"I am Ophis," she answered, the boy groaning at her response.

'Damn it, she's such an airhead…' He sighed in his mind. "No, what I mean is, are you human? You spoke of how you were able to 'sense a strong power' in me, so you can't technically be human, right?"

"Hmm… You, are right, it seems," she blinked in two strokes. "You, are indeed right. I am, the Ouroboros Dragon."

Now, growing up, Young-ae had a strange fixation to books, especially those about lore, mythology, legends, and supernatural. But mostly the supernatural.

And of course, he's read up on the Ouroboros Dragon before. A powerful being, capable of destroying the world if it so wishes to. Then, curious about it even more, he searched even deeper, realising that there was more to the dragon than he thought were just pure folklore.

There was a story. From the infinite nothingness, came forth the dragon before him, as well as her brother, a dragon the name he still recognised not. From there, the two dragons existed, governing over infinity and dreams respectively.

And now, looking to this girl before him, he couldn't help but wonder.

"How can I be sure that you're not lying?" He asked once more. "I know that you probably wouldn't lie, but I can't help but feel uncertain with your answer. If you have even the slightest of proof for me, I will accept it."

"Hmm… Proof, you say?" She hummed, standing on her spot as she pondered over the available choices. "Maybe… Yes, indeed."

"What are you getting onto?" The boy asked, eyebrow raised in suspicion.

She said nothing, but opened her palm and held it towards an area. He wondered what she was going to do, until light began forming from the ground of where she aimed her hand at.

Slowly, the light seemed to take shape, circling before it finally stopped. Then, it grew to fit the space, leaving delicate designs in the end. It was the sign of infinity.

"…Yup, you're definitely Ophis, the Ouroboros Dragon," he smiled in amusement. "She who was born from nothingness of infinity. You weren't kidding."

"Of course," she nodded. "I, don't lie."

"Yes, I can see that…" He sighed, crossing his arms and resting them on his chest. "So tell me, why have you been following me around? There are better things to do than stalk an eight-year-old."

"I, was interested in you," she admitted without any trace of hesitation, the blank tone of her voice a pure indication of that. "You, are such a strange being. You are human, yet you cannot live as one. Why so?"

"I'm a half-ghoul," he answered, choosing to be open rather than keep this hidden from her. "I'm a creature who looks just like a human, but we possess powerful weapons in our bodies, and we need to eat human to live."

"I, see…" She stared at him, the intensity behind this simple action to unnerve the boy. "Very well. I, suppose I should take you with me."

"Eh?" He blinked, a bit confused by her words.

"Do you, have family?" At that question, he couldn't help but snort.

"No. My mother was gutted by madmen, and my father was experimented on until he died," he laughed. It wasn't one that meant he was happy. It was that of someone who's seen death, and lived through it.

He didn't exactly understand why he disliked talking about his parents. Each time he did so, it left a burning sensation in his heart. He had long grieved over their deaths, but he chose to let it slide. And yet, he couldn't possibly think about them.

A woman who fell in love with a ghoul, and the two of them had a child. The scientists found them, and took the three of them to their lab of twisted experimentations.

True to his word, his mother was skinned and torched alive, attached to the stake like some form of exorcism. His father, desperate to save his wife, had assaulted the scientists, and in doing so, was forced through extensive tests without rest. It costed him his life, as he was given no rest and food at all.

Young-ae felt lucky that he didn't join his parents to the grave just yet, but he still remembered the cold tears he shed when they first died.

He had hoped that he had grown emotionless, but he supposed even he was no match for Ophis.

"I, see. Then, I have a proposition for you," the boy perked up at the girl's words. "You, will come to live with me."

"Live with you? Where?" He gave her a questioning look.

"In a secluded area, where only I, go to," she answered. "Step onto the magic circle."

He looked to the magic device on the ground, glowing a bright black-grey. It was inviting, surprisingly, and he couldn't help but feel drawn towards it.

If he followed her now, he would probably have a better situation than he was having now. He wouldn't have to worry about a roof, or protection, considering that the dragon before him was powerful AF. And yet…

The thought that he might accidentally prey upon her when he goes mad with hunger was, surprisingly to him, scared him. He'd have to be careful if he decided to live with her. Where would he find his source of food?

There was no way he was going to pick off the villagers in the night. He was definitely not a vampire.

…He wonders if he even has a vendetta against those blood-sucking beings. He'll need to fix that soon.

"Well, if you say so, I suppose," he shrugged, accepting the offer.

And onto the magic circle—

*Fwoo!* *Poof!*

And away to a new world, in Young-ae's case.

* * *

Ophis's Home

Now, Young-ae wasn't a stranger to house preference.

During his time at the lab, he had read all sort of house designs. There were villas, bungalows, cottages, terraces, condominiums, and any other things that counted as a house.

And yet, try as he might to accept the fact that she could potentially be living in a dump, it took him by surprise when he was brought to a shrine. He didn't know why he felt so in the first place, probably because he hadn't expected for her to live in one in the first place.

He was expecting more like a rundown church, but hey, who is he to judge?

"Nice place," he commented, simply enjoying the lush scenery. How the shrine was surrounded by a forest, with a lake nearby, it was peaceful. "But I get the feeling that this isn't your real home, isn't it?"

"Indeed. You, are right," she nodded her head. "I, live in the Dimensionless Gap."

"The Dimensionless Gap..?" He had never heard such a place in books. He supposed that books don't have everything. "Okay, but a question. Why are you living here in the first place, if this… Dimensionless Gap is your home?"

"It is because, Great Red is there," he didn't understand well, prompting her to continue. "I, wish to experience _true silence_. And to achieve that, I, must rid Great Red from there."

"Aah… Okay, I think I can understand you..?" Truth be told, he didn't understand a single reason why she wants this true silence. He supposed it'll be fine for now."

"Young-ae," she called, earning his attention. "Are you, sure that you, would like to live with me?"

Gods forbid him to lie, and he was honestly wondering about that question himself. However, he did take her hand back then, so he supposed that it was like a sealed contract.

Although… He couldn't help but feel as if he were repeating the words from somebody else's lips.

'…Nah, must be my own imagination,' he told himself. "I'm sure, trust me. This is way better than being stuck up in that forsaken experimentation base, lab, whatever."

"If you, say so," she nodded, still expressionless as ever. "Very well, let's go."

And off the two entered the shrine.

And just like that, his fate was overwritten, his destiny refreshed, and his life a living Hell and Heaven.

* * *

2010— **C** ity o **f** L **o** ndo **n**

"Thank you, miss," the shopkeeper, with a big smile on his face, took the coins from the girl's hands, before handing her the crêpe she asked for. "Thank you again!"

The crêpe was beautifully made, with chocolate syrup poured on the outer shell, with cream and strawberries on the inside.

The girl, simply nodding in response, took the crêpe from his hands, and left the shop.

The chimes by the door danced to its melodious ringing, the wind from the world brushing against the smooth metal.

The girl, who now stood outside of the shop, a large hat covering her from the sun, and a crêpe in hand, stared up to the blue sky.

When had she last seen the sky? It looked so beautiful, so out of reach. Decorated with soft white clouds and the warm orb of fire, she couldn't help but feel… relaxed.

"Lucy!" Said girl turned to her left, eyes scanning for the source of the voice. And there they were.

Two girls who had the same colour of hair as she did, as well as matching eyes. The first one was admittedly thin, with her hair's length only running down to her chin. She wore what seemed to be a simple blue tee with grey trousers. The other girl was short, with her hair flowing down until above her waist. She wore a yellow dress, made to simplify her innocent beauty.

"Nana," Lucy regarded the tail girl, before looking to the shorter one. "Mariko."

"H-Hey… What are you doing here all alone?" Mariko breathed out, panting from all the running. "You should've had one of us to follow you!"

"I couldn't be bothered," the girl shrugged, eating from her treat. She stopped short, upon noticing the hungry stares from her two friends. "…Yes?"

"Aww, no fair! You bought a crêpe for yourself?" Nana pouted, earning a shrug from her friend.

"I didn't think the both of you would want any. Plus, I came here to buy one for myself," the girl finally managed to grin a bit, amused at the antics presented before her.

"Oh, shush…" Mariko sighed, defeated. "Come on, let's go home, already…"

"…" Lucy refrained from saying a thing, but ultimately took out her purse, handing some money to a confused Nana. "…Well? You wanted crêpes, right? You can pay me next time."

Both girls squealed on their spots, running into the shop to buy their own treat, leaving Lucy to stare up into the sky once more.

'…Hey Young-ae,' she called out in her mind. 'How are things there for you, wherever you are? It better be good…'

She couldn't help but think about him every once in a while.

After escaping from the experimentation lab, she had escaped all the way to Britain, keeping herself away from the public eye for some time. Just to let the heat die down, for now.

And once everything was finally over, and she could be considered a free woman, she reunited with her childhood friends, whom she was taken away from. The three of them lived together in an orphanage, until she was taken away.

Now reunited, she couldn't help but feel a bittersweet feeling lingering in her heart.

One, she had been reunited with her fellow Diclonii—yes, they are the same species as her, deal with it—and she hadn't felt happier ever since, even if she doesn't exactly show it in a facial expression. And yet, she couldn't help but miss the people she's met as she was stuck in that experimental base.

Maybe… Just maybe. If she could just meet them one last time, everything would be just perfect.

* * *

 **2012—** T **o** ky **o**

"Hmm… I wonder…" The girl, her white hair flowing down well below her shoulders, pondered as she looked at the outfits for display.

"Come on, we don't have all time now," another girl chuckled, watching as her friends continue to stare at the clothes.

"Hang on, I just want to get this right…" She answered, not bothering to look behind her.

"You know," a male came up this time, a sigh escaping his lips a moment later. "We can just come again afterwards. It's not like we don't have the time."

"Well," and the silver-haired girl finally turned around, a sour look on her face. "Nemissa just wants to find a suitable outfit!"

"Jeez, you're so difficult…" The girl from before sighed. "I may just be an eleven-year-old, and we may never know how old you are, but it feels like _you're_ the child here…"

"Shut up, Hitomi!" The female demon hissed, turning around once more and resuming her search, much to the other two's chagrin.

After leaving the experimentation base, she had stumbled into the advanced city filled with wonders—toilets that shot water straight up their butts, raw fish wrapped with seaweed, cosplaying girls and tall buildings she wondered why the people even built it in the first place. This was indeed Tokyo.

Not knowing what to do, she was found by an eighteen-year-old lad, who looked like some sort of businessman. He was rather reluctant to take her into her home, but had to do so in the end, considering that she didn't have any relatives.

And from there, she was introduced to a group he formed, called the 'Spookies'. It was a weird title, for sure, but the fact that they were intelligent hackers, despite being so young, had impressed her beyond words.

In fact, one of the members, 'Lunch' as he was referred to, had pranked a targeted person of her choosing by taunting their online profile using his hacking abilities. Luckily, they didn't have to deal with parental lectures.

Nemissa didn't mind being around these people, but sometimes, she wondered why she continued to remain with them.

Was it for the knowledge that, were she to leave, she would be left homeless? Or, maybe it was the want for companionship? She wasn't sure, herself.

"Aha! Found it!" She grinned brightly, stepping into the changing room. "Hold up, alright? Do not go back without Nemissa!"

"Oh, alright…" The male groaned, looking to the other girl. "So Hitomi, are you confident that we should have her act as our spy for tomorrow's mission? She might ruin this, you know."

"Oh, don't worry about it! I trust Nemissa, Leader!" The now-named Hitomi nodded her head, earning a hum from the man.

"If you say so," he shrugged. "Seriously though, what in the world has Nemissa picked out? It better not be so—"

"I'm back!" The female demon called out, finally showing up, a satisfied smile on her face. "How do I look?"

Nemissa was indescribably beautiful, safe to say. She wore a black leather jacket, leaving it unzipped just above her belly to show the black bra inside, accompanying the choker and matching black pants held up by a thick, expensive-looking belt and black high heeled boots.

"…There is only one thing that I can say," Leader crossed his arms, whistling. "Costly."

"Hey! It's not that bad!" Nemissa huffed, earning a blank stare from Leader.

"I wouldn't say that, Nemissa. I mean, come on, did you even check the price tag for that thing?" He sighed, shaking his head. "Fine, I'll buy you that outfit, but you'll have to work double to pay off that thing."

"Ohh, fine…" She drawled. She hated doing work, unless it involved fighting demons, which had not happened at all since she's been here.

"Well, good," he smiled finally, aiming his thumb to the receptionist over his shoulder. "Go on and get changed back. I'll pay for it."

The demon did as she was told, wondering if she could maybe reunite with her old friends once again in the future. She did miss them, after all.

* * *

2014—O **u** tsk **ir** ts **o** f Ca **n** a **d** a

A lone man sat in the guard's post assigned to him, a border guard. Busy, he was, drinking his coffee as he read the french writings on the papers.

*Rrhaa!*

"Hmm?" The guard stood up, moving out of his post, only to come face-to-face with a hideous lizard-like creature. "By joves! What in the world?!"

*Rrr..!*

In response to his shock, the creature pulled out what seemed to be a bunch of documents, shaped into like a book with a red cover.

"Hmm?" The guard took a closer look at the item of which the creature held in its mouth, and his triangular face contorted into one of surprise. "Ah! I see you have a passport! All right, hand it over."

The creature handed the passport to the guard, watching as he skimmed through the information in it.

"Hmm, papers seem to be in order. Very well," he returned the item to its owner. "I hereby grant thee access to the great NATION OF CANADA! Open the gate!"

Shouting to the post, it took a full three seconds to realise that there weren't anyone there at all.

"Oh, hang on, I'll do it," the guard returned to his post, clicking on a button and watching as the barricade rise. "Alright, go on through."

In this strange country, filled with puppet-like people and beat and wolves, but DIRE, the creature had found itself wondering on a few certain things.

The people she've met back then were all so nice, counting out the scientists and wardens. In fact, she wouldn't have minded remaining with them.

Alas, separation was in order, and she had seen neither hide nor hair of her friends for these… how long has it been? Six years, at most? All in all, she sometimes wished that she could return to the containment cell she was trapped in, if she could only be with her old friends once more.

No matter. For now, she would continue to live on, just as everyone else were doing.

There was no way they were going to be kept away from each other forever.

All the while, as the creature travelled from town to town, such as Ottawa that housed the prince of Canada, Winnipeg, with the Earl, and Banff with the Bishop, the guard from earlier couldn't help but repeat the creature's name.

"SCP-682, eh?" He thought, before returning to his duties once more.

* * *

Present Time— **K** yot **o**

'We need to get some flour, she said. And don't forget the rice, she said…' The teenage boy sighed in his mind, slinging a bag of heavy flour over his shoulder as he held the sack of rice in his right hand. "Why do I have to do the work…"

The boy had grown over the years, now described as a handsome person, despite his constant disagreements. The red scars he kept under clothes had blurred out over time, but it was still rather visible were one to take his shirt off of him. His hair, black before, now possessed a white crown. He always thought it was weird to have such a trait, but supposed that it just worked that way.

Once a little boy, he had grown to be quite tall now. Of course, he wasn't necessarily so tall that he'd hit his head into the doorway. Rather, he was now ranging in the average 68 inches tall.

He stepped into the alleyway, careful not to let anyone see him. Once doing so, he pulled out a phone, punching numbers into the keypad.

"Hey Ophis?" Young-ae called.

 _"Yes?"_ The dragoness answered from her side.

"I got what you asked me to go buy. Now get me back over there. I don't want to stay here forever," it sounded like a demand rather than a request.

 _"Okay,"_ was all she said—

*Khh!*

Before the familiar grey magic circle formed before him. Deciding not to waste any more time here, he stepped into the magic circle, letting it whisk him away.

* * *

O **ph** is's **S** hrine

When the illuminance finally died down, Young-ae was introduced to the familiar sight of a shrine in the middle of the forest. It still looked sturdy, despite the years.

"I'm home!" He yelled, yawning a moment later. He walked into the shrine, setting down the flour and rice by the doorway. "Ophis, where are you?"

Just as he called out to her, she appeared from the black, still wearing the same dress as always. He had been lucky not to be born a perverted child just like any other males in this forsaken world.

"Thank you," she muttered simply before walking up the steps, entering the shrine. "You, cook."

"Got it," he nodded, following right after.

The inside was that of any typical shrine. There were many ornate vases and decorative lights, with paintings he's seen made by famous artists. There were statues of multiple religious figures, all looking as if they were alive once, and had been turned to stone—in Young-ae's mind.

The shrine was divided into three rooms. The first one was the 'living room', which was the very first room one would find themselves in when they step into the shrine. Here, they eat what Young-ae makes in the kitchen area, which was further in the back. On the left and right sides of the shrine, were their bedrooms respectively.

Wasting no time, the half-ghoul went to the kitchen, starting to cook.

With the limited budget they had, they would usually eat rice with anything, ranging from fish to eggs or vegetables. Today, however, Ophis had a sudden urge to taste bread, and he was lucky that he was able of scavenging an oven from a junkyard and fixing it. All it needed were a few screws, really.

Making bread was a new thing for him, but reading up on books had made things slightly easy. He decided that he'd do that first.

"Hey Ophis," he called out from the kitchen. "Can we just eat rice tonight?"

"Okay," she answered back, twiddling her thumbs.

Nodding to himself, he began thinking of what to make. Yes, he was to make bread, but any simpleton would know that there were different types of bread—French, garlic, pita, naan, baguettes.

'Well, I suppose French bread is good for now,' and with that decided, he got to work.

Thankfully, with the part-time jobs he's enlisted himself in, he's managed to make enough money to buy all sort of cooking materials, as well as clothes and other things. He didn't bother with decorations, since this shrine's got enough, and he thought it would be a waste if he decided to get a TV.

He added some warm water to a cup of yeast, all the while mixing the flour earlier with some salt he harvested from the sea water—he thought that it would be much easier than buying them, so he travelled to Miami's beach. Adding water and the yeast, he just had to stir it thoroughly just to give it its softness. Only once it gained its shape did he start kneading it.

After a while, he decided to put it in the oven, working on another, then another, and another. There was a lot of flour, apparently.

Setting the oven to a good temperature, he watched in slight curiosity as the four rose and grew, turning brown. After thirty minutes, which he felt was way too long, the oven finally rung, indicating that it was finally done.

Wearing some hand muffs, he pulled out the tray of fresh bread from the oven, already sensing the Ouroboros Dragon coming his way. He could only imagine how hungry she is.

"Okay, let's let this cool down for a bit. It's way too hot to touch, right now," he advised, earning a nod from the girl.

Moving to the living room, he set the bread on a plate using tongs, before returning the tray into the oven.

When he got back, his eyes widened at how all four breads were gone.

"Wow, you must be really hungry…" He chuckled, running his fingers through his hair as he watched the girl nibble on the fourth bread.

"Mmhm…" She nodded, and he didn't need any thanks from her—he could see the little traces of joy in those otherwise blank eyes of hers.

Years of living with her had an impact on both of them. Ophis had started to develop emotions, and sometimes would go on to socialise with the public. It was great and all, until they began talking about her relationship with him, which was pretty awkward, easy to say.

In Young-ae's case, he had begun to live more like a human now. Of course, he was required to devour a human once a month, but it was otherwise a good life then. With one body, he'd live for a month or two, before he'd need to eat another.

He was taking part-time jobs now, having to lie about being a student at some nearby school. He was a bit more open now, not constantly bottling up his feelings and speaking his mind out, but he dare not overstep the line. People liked him, and he felt himself comfortable around others.

But the person he felt most comfortable with, was Ophis here.

She had taken him, a complete stranger, under her wing, raising her to the best she could. When he was still eight, she had taken to cooking, until an accident occurred that required him to take over.

She was busy preparing a stew, but accidentally spilled it onto herself, burning herself in the process. Young-ae was just in the living room, and had to wipe her away with a towel soaked in cold water.

He was young, but soon realised that he had duties to uphold. Both as a human, and as a son—for reasons he knew not, he sometimes saw himself as her son, which was both weird and amusing.

And since then, he's been doing everything he could, everything in his power, to support this little family of two—he, the human-ghoul halfbreed, and the Ouroboros Dragon.

He adored her, loved her like a son, and couldn't help but want to keep her away from danger, which he knew wouldn't last forever, since, as the Ouroboros Dragon, she would be exposed to danger from all corners. But as long as he could, he would keep her safe.

*Grroaan…*

"Hmm?" Young-ae looked down to himself, smirking at the sounds his stomach was making. "Welp, I better go get some food then. Ophis, stay here, got it?"

"Okay," she nodded, biting away at her bread.

* * *

 ***Nier: Automata—Forest Kingdom: Medium (Play Song)***

Young-ae travelled through the towering trees and overgrown, searching for the location of men.

The beautiful greenery was rich with life, all flourishing in both night and day. Tainted not by men's greed, he was thankful that such a place had become the hiding spot for his and Ophis's home.

And finally, after what seemed like forever, he finally found it.

A distance away from where the shrine was situated, was a village of cultists, all of whom worship some dumb old god called Shub-Niggurath. Of course, the name was hands down the most stupidest name he had ever heard, but what hid in that bloody hole which was its domain was definitely an ugly thing.

What was considerably strange about it all, was that the whole cult was made up of white people.

He was thinking it was racism, but decided not to say anything about it.

But the moment he saw a shipping truck bringing in black people into this village, and that the cultists were feeding this god of theirs them, he called it; these cultists were racist.

As such, he continually picked off of these cultists, eating four at a time and getting the hostages out of there. They didn't seem to mind, but he continued his assault, with the remaining twenty ready to be picked off tonight.

Racism was something he viewed as horrible treatment to the other race, and it was no better than discrimination. In fact, it was basically the same thing. And so, he would end their lives tonight.

Arriving at the village, a new truck came in tonight, fresh with new black people. Racist jackasses, Young-ae thought, and he was so ready to kill these bastards.

"So, are the sacrifices ready for our Lord?" One of the cultists asked.

"They are, brother," the other cultist answered. "We'll just need to—"

*Pish!*

He never did finish his words, as what seemed to be a tentacle had crashed straight through his skull, destroying his head in the most horrible way possible. The first cultist had tried to make a run for it, but what broke his spine had ultimately ended it.

"That's two down," Young-ae muttered to himself, dragging the bodies to a dark place before devouring them. "Mmm… Yeah, disgusting. No offence to any white people. I just mean these twisted bastards."

Seriously, readers, please don't sue me…

Ahem.

Without a moment to waste, the half-ghoul rushed to the shipping trucks, having taken a silence handgun from the previous cultist. He loaded a clip into it, aiming straight at one of them.

*Bang!*

Bullet lodged in the skull, the first cultist fell.

*Bang!*

Another bit the dust.

*Bang!*

The last one joined his brothers in death, dropping to the sandy ground.

Young-ae rushed to the shocked hostages, ripping apart the cage-like doors from the four shipping trucks with his kagune. The people slowly stepped out of their containers, looking terrified.

"Don't worry so much. They're dead now," he promised. "Now listen up, I need all of you to run to some safe area for a while. Don't run out of the forest. You'll only get lost. Just find someplace safe to hide for now."

"Who are you?" One of the children asked.

And as Young-ae looked at the girl, he had felt himself very pissed off of how the cultists would mercilessly feed her to some blasted god. Were she to die, they would have stripped her of the chance to be a doctor, or a florist, or a practitioner in the arts of magic in the future!

…The last part was some random thing.

So to save them, would mean that they'd live to see another tomorrow. To smell flowers, see the sky, and live life.

"I'm half-Korean, half-Japanese," he answered, smiling softly, before his expression turned serious as he looked to everyone else. "Go."

Nodding in response, the crowd disappeared, finding a safe area.

Sighing to himself, Young-ae hid himself in a container, hearing footsteps approach him. The handgun was in his left hand.

"So, the black people are in the containers?" A cultist asked, his fellow companion nodding.

"Yup," he looked to the other three guys that accompanied them. "Come on, let's unload them."

The five people divided themselves to the four trucks, too unfocused.

The first one that stepped into his container was never seen again.

"Hmm?" One of the cultists narrowed his eyes, realising that all the hostages weren't in their containers. "Hey, what is going on?"

"Yaaaghaa!" A man's scream resounded in the air, calling the others to the area.

The remaining three didn't get far, before their heads rolled off of their shoulders, the knife held in their murderer's hand shining a bright red.

*Thud!*

"Well, that's what you deserve, I suppose," he sighed, throwing away the dagger. "Ehh… I don't feel hungry. I suppose I'll leave you be."

He dragged the bodies into the container he hid in, before leaving the vicinity, searching for the remaining ten members of the cult.

'Must be close to their god,' he supposed.

And true to his thoughts, all ten cultists were there, encircled around the hole in the ground, possibly waiting for their brothers to return with a group of black people.

Young-ae stood atop a building, crossing his arms.

"Oi!" He yelled, watching as they hurriedly looked all around them, only for their eyes to land on him. "Yo."

"Who are you?" One of the cultists asked, pulling out what seemed to be a 2mm Kolibri.

"No one important," Young-ae shrugged, jumping down and meeting the ground, grunting once before standing once more. "Just some country folk."

*Chik!*

And when the lad pulled out the handgun, aiming it at the men in front of him, only then did his grin twist into a madman's own.

"Who's here to take your life," his voice had turned harsher now, more inhuman, before he suddenly ran towards them.

Screaming, the man with the gun shot, bullet after bullet flying in a straight line in hopes that they would hit this monster.

But it was no use.

He was much too faster than the bullets, and dodged them with ease, flipping himself over every little objects and fast approaching the men.

*Pish!*

"Eat that," Young-ae activated his kagune, ramming it straight into the man's torso, ripping him apart and watching as bone and meat fall to the ground, staining the dirt with blood.

Not stopping there, he fired his gun at the cultist that was closest to him, picking up his body with his kagune before he threw it at another at such a speed that ultimately obstructed him.

Now left seven more people.

*Rrhggaooaa!*

"Huh?" Young-ae paused in his tracks, looking around him for the source of such a powerful growl.

And there it came. From the abyss.

 ***Nier: Automata—Forest Kingdom: Medium (End Song)***

 ***Xenoblade Chronicles X—04 Uncontrollable (Play Song)***

As the earth rattled and shook, the world welcomed the appearance of the Elder God, a being that resembled that of the Cthulhu, yet more grotesque.

"So, you must be Shub-Niggurath. Ha… Now I get it," he snickered to himself, yet the deadly look in his eyes betrayed the supposed humour he was getting. "Your name is trying to mean 'nigga' and 'wrath', isn't it? You sick freak…"

*Rrrhaa!*

"Well, I don't have much time before I've got to go back, so do me a favour," and he unleashed his kagune, eye black as usual whenever he got excited or would activate the organ. "And go to Hell."

*Bang!*

The creature lashed its tentacle across the field, failing to strike the boy, who jumped high into the air, dropping quickly towards it.

"I'm not going to let you go!" He snarled, lunging his 'Rinkaku' kagune towards the Elder God, successfully cutting off one of its limbs.

Not resting at all, Young-ae dropped to the ground, viciously tearing apart two men before throwing them away. He blocked the Elder God's tentacle using his kagune, knocking it backwards before cleaving it in half with the kagune.

*RrrGhaA!*

Young-ae blocked out the painful monstrous screams, lunging himself at the creature before beginning to assault it directly. He drilled his kagune deep into its flesh, boring holes in its flesh and allowing blood to flow out.

He jumped away to dodge an attack, slamming his kagune onto one of the cultists, leaving him a battered mesh of meat and blood. He blocked a fist strike, dealing a roundhouse kick to the man's ribs before delivering a strong uppercut to the chin, ripping the whole thing off of its head, watching as it flew into the sky before dropping to the ground, the body joining it a moment later.

"You're all weak," he hissed, blocking Shub-Niggurath's tentacle with just his arm, before strongly tugging on the limb, tearing it straight from the body. He aimed a strong attack at the head, eyes narrowed in a way that would have killed the creature should stares be possible of killing.

He jumped forwards, his tentacle drilling straight into the Elder God's skull. The creature moaned and growled in pain, trying desperately to remove the half-ghoul away from it.

Alas, it didn't take long—

*Piaa!*

For Young-ae to successfully dig his kagune deep in its skull, giving him the opportunity to finally rip the being in half, like paper. The intestines and brain and everything showed.

It was over.

 ***Xenoblade Chronicles X—Uncontrollable (End Song)***

Removing the last cultists, Young-ae returned to the trucks with the containers.

"Alright, I'm done! They're gone!" He yelled, cupping his hand around his mouth.

Waiting for a good minute or two, the people from earlier finally returned, a look of hopeful worry plastered on their expressions.

"I had to kill them, so I ask that you refrain from investigating over there," he gestured his thumb over his shoulder, to where the Elder God and the dead cultists were. "Oh, and here."

He handed an old phone to one of the men.

"On that phone, there is a number of the closest police station. Tell them that you require help, and they'll get over here soon," he instructed, before turning heels. "In any case, have fun."

"H-Hang on. Really, who are you?" A woman asked, causing the boy to stop.

He turned once more, a tired smile on his face.

"It's not like you'll be seeing me again, so don't worry so much about it," he snickered, walking away once more and disappearing.

* * *

Now back at the shrine, Young-ae decided to get some rest.

"In the end…" He sighed to himself, sitting at the stairs in front of the shrine as he viewed the stars above. "I only killed just a handful of bastards in this endless world…"

The thought that there were other bad people in this world was a sickening thought to him. Even if he ended the reigns of the cultists here, it didn't change much in the world.

"Oh well, at least I'm doing something," he shrugged, deciding to enjoy the peaceful night for now.

"Young-ae," his moment of silence was broken by Ophis, who showed up from inside the shrine. "I have something to ask of you."

"Oh? Sure," he nodded, following the girl into the shrine.

After sitting down properly, and, drinking some water, Ophis spoke up.

"I, have assembled a team a few years ago, and I, was wondering if you wanted to join," she informed him, earning a look of curiosity from the boy.

"Oh? And tell me, what does this team do? And what is your role in this team of yours?" He asked, wondering what was so important about her doing so.

"I, assembled such a team…" Right after that, she trailed off, beginning to ponder.

"Let me guess, you did it on a whim?" He cocked his eyebrow upwards, earning a shake of the head from her. "Then what is it that you made this team in the first place?"

"Remember the reason why I, couldn't live in the Dimensionless Gap?" She asked.

"Yeah. You said it the moment we met," he nodded. "It's because Great Red lives there, and... Oh my God, you made this team just to get rid of him, didn't you?" He groaned.

"Indeed," she nodded.

'Jeez, I never thought she was being serious about that...' He mentally sweat-dropped, before returning to reality. "So, what is your group exactly?"

"They are recognized as a group of terrorists," she answered. "Of course, I, never gave them the permission to do so in the first place. And yet, they did so on their own."

"Uurgh… Seriously though, you should be careful," he groaned.

"So, what do you think? Could you join me?" She asked.

"Hmm… I mean, I suppose I _could_ ," at that, he couldn't help but notice how her eyes widened slightly, probably happy. "But on one condition."

"Which is?" She was attentive now.

"I will join, if it means that we still live here," he gestured to the shrine. "I'm not moving, Ophis. I love this place."

"That had been arranged long ago," she nodded, earning a grateful smile from the dragoness.

"Alright then, I'm in," he smiled, lucky that she didn't see the trickle of sweat that dripped down his neck.

He had just sold his soul to a group of terrorists.

* * *

A Week Later

"The Khaos Brigade," he muttered, gulping slightly. "I can't believe you created this…"

He knew the Khaos Brigade long ago. Who doesn't? They were a powerful group that brought trouble and destruction everywhere they go. They were composed of several sub-groups, but they still worked together nonetheless.

Young-ae couldn't believe that Ophis was their founder.

"So, what do you, think?" She asked.

"I have no idea, Ophis. I mean, I'm just at a lost here…" He sighed. "I mean, come on. At the very least, you could have made the Khaos Brigade to be some form of monster slaying team. Not a bunch of weird asses."

"I, suppose that is my mistake," she nodded, same ever the emotionless girl she was.

"Hhaa… At least you recognise it is your mistake…" He slapped his face with his hand. "So, where do we go now?"

"We, should go to the commands centre," she answered.

Immediately, they left, going on their way to wherever the commands centre was at. Thankfully, Ophis had memorised the layout of the place, so they didn't need to refer to the brochures around the place—seriously? Brochures?

Young-ae couldn't help but feel as if the place was some form of shopping complex.

It took some time, but the pair finally reached the commands centre. A dark room with people stationed behind computers, continuously pushing their keyboards as they kept watch on the large screens up front. There were so many people in here, that Young-ae thought he was going to suffocate in such a large, yet tight room.

"I suppose we could wait here until something happens," she suggested, earning a deadpanning look from the lad.

"Seriously? We just wait here?" His eye twitched. "You can't be serious. You think something's going to happen if we just—"

And the metallic doors slid open.


	4. Chapter 3

"I really like you!" - Speech

'Too much, huh?' - Thoughts

 _"And just like that…"_ \- Flashback / Emphasis

*Brr!* *Smack!* - Sound effects

\Chapter 3: **D** em **o** ns an **d** M **a** gic\

The world where our protagonist resides in is widely known as the 'Human world', thriving with those non-intelligent creatures who, according to Charles Darwin, advanced from monkeys.

…Apes? Baboons? Orang-utan? I'm not exactly sure, but it _should_ be apes.

In any case, that's just one world, where the natural is… well, natural. But how about the world where the unnatural is natural?

In such a world, there existed the devils, who are the main inhabitants of this world. Underworld, Hell, hot red place, all the same.

The devils had 72 pillars that were well-renowned by every corner. Although, the Great War of the Three Factions had ultimately left more than half of these pillars in the dust. Of course, now that the war no longer continues, there is peace, but a strangled one.

Were they to act freely and cause any trouble for each other, even minor ones, the other wouldn't mind taking measures.

But that aside, let's get a recap on the families.

Of these families, there was the Gremory household, which everyone knew. But if you, my good readers, were thinking that I was going to talk about them, the answer is no. Just, no. Rias isn't the main character here, so deal with it.

Ahem, no. Instead, we'll be talking about _another_ family. The family of the Lucifers, to be exact.

So, I know what you're thinking. Vali Lucifer. Well, you're half-correct. See, since this is technically a _fan fiction_ , anything is possible, am I right? As such, we'll call _her_ …

Valeria? Yeah, let's go with that. Valeria Lucifer.

In any case, she was daughter to the family of the Lucifers. However, her father was afraid of her. For one, she was his daughter, which meant she had the blood of Lucifer in her body, meaning that she was a powerful person. Add to the fact that she has a Longinus, and it made sense why he was so terrified of her.

Seeing his son in distress, her grandfather ordered her father to quote unquote 'bully' her. He would ignore her, threaten her, and act in a coldly manner with the girl.

Being so young, she didn't understand. But time was all it took for the silverette to soon learn that her grandfather had suggested such thing were her father to be so afraid of her.

Unable to take any more of the hostile treatments from both her father and grandfather, Valeria fled from her parents' home. She had nowhere to go, until one day…

"C'mon, I'll take you with me," a Fallen had saved her that day, took her to Grigori and cared for her as her subordinate father.

It didn't take long to soon learn that he was actually Azazel, the Governor of the Fallen Angels.

Of course, she loved him, but soon enough, she was offered the chance to take revenge upon her bastardly father and grandfather. However, it meant leaving home, and while she was reluctant to do so at first, she finally gave in.

Azazel hadn't said anything. He didn't scold her for making such a choice, nor did he ask her to remain. He could only watch, and it tore her heart to do so.

Even then, Valeria trained herself, to grow stronger and avenge herself for all the torments and painful experiences befallen upon her by her father and grandfather.

She was now Valeria Lucifer, member of the Khaos Brigade.

* * *

Present— **K** ha **o** s Bri **ga** de Bas **e**

"Whoo! That was something!" A monkey-looking male grinned brightly, slinging a pole staff on his shoulder.

"Nya… You said it," a girl with feline ears sticking out from her head nodded with a smile. "Plus, it was good training! I say it made us stronger, nya."

"I can agree with you on that. With this, we should have no problem should we ever be pitted against strong enemies," a lad with spectacles pushed his glasses up to properly fit on him.

"I agree…" A blonde girl with a large witch's hat nodded in agreement.

"They were easy!" All eyes landed on another girl, who was looking the happiest out of them all. "We were like, kapow! Bammy!"

"Yeah, yeah! Haa, shi boom!" The monkey-looking teenager joined in the fun, laughing with the girl. Everyone else just smiled at the antics presented before them.

"Well, come on, guys. Let's get back to base," their leader urged them to hurry, of which they responded with a nod.

This leader of theirs was indeed Valeria, who had grown to be extremely beautiful as the years passed. With her long, silver hair braiding down to her waist, it went well with the light blue eyes she had. She indeed had such a beautiful figure, with her busts threatening to pour out of the grey t-shirt she wore.

They had just finished their mission of gaining information from the devils, but learned nothing. Their security was tighter than they had initially thought. It only grew worse when they were forced to fight moments later.

Now, of course, with such a big group such as this, they shouldn't have no problems. However, it did become a problem once the fourth wave of devils poured in, then the fifth, and sixth, and…

Well, you know the gist.

They managed to get away when Valeria casted a light spell into the air, successfully blinding the devils in the vicinity, giving them ample time to flee the area.

Now, they were back in base.

"Hey guys," one of the members of the Khaos Brigade waved at the team, of which they waved back.

Knowing that they had nothing to do, they decided to go to the commands centre, in case Cao Cao wanted to give them info on their upcoming tasks. Plus, they had to report to him about their failure.

Stepping past the iron doors that slid open, signalling their return, they were about to go find Cao Cao, until they realised that Ophis was standing in front of them, with a strange-looking boy beside her.

Now of course, this must have been some new member or something, so they didn't really pay him much mind. Although—

*Thud!*

"Ghaah!" The lad yelped in surprise as something tackled him from behind. Peering his head over his shoulder, he was met with a familiar view. "What the…"

"Hi, Young-ae!" The girl with white hair beamed at him, his eyes widening as the realisation of who was hugging him slowly dawned on him.

"Shiro…" He breathed out, earning vigorous nods from the overjoyed girl. "W-What are you doing here?"

The girl was much taller than he last remembered, being a head shorter than her. He was confused why she still wore the jumpsuit she wore back in the lab, but he couldn't possibly deny that she looked even more beautiful than last time. Her skin still white, her hair a matching colour, and her bright red eyes were just captivating.

"Isn't it obvious? Shiro joined the Khaos Brigade!" She cried out, hugging him once more, this time even more harder than before. "Shiro misses Young-ae!"

"Y-Y-Y-Yes! I missed you too!" He struggled to sound his words right, due to the strong pressure exerted on his ribs. "N-Now, would you please..! Let me go..!"

"I don't want to!" She denied him, not seeing the way his face was slowly turning blue.

"W-Well, I'm about to die..!" At the mention of dying, the albino finally released him, a look mixed with apologetic and dread contorted onto her pretty face. "H-Haah… Thank you, and all the gods above… If they even exist, that is…"

"Ahem," Ophis cleared her throat once.

"Sorry Ophis… But you're a dragon, not a god," he smirked.

"Uhmmm…" Finally, the three looked to Valeria, who, just as the others, were waiting for a chance to speak. "Okay… This is awkward…"

"What are you talking about? I don't see what's awkward about this," he rolled his shoulder, a crack sounding afterwards. Everyone winced at the sound. "It's just two old friends reuniting, so don't worry about a thing."

"O-Oh, okay…" She had honestly thought that she was intruding on their little moment together, but since he said otherwise, she supposed it was fine. "So, I… suppose we should introduce each other."

"And I agree," the lad nodded. "Young-ae Cross here. You?"

"Valeria Lucifer," she answered, slightly relaxed now.

"Lucifer, you say? So you're a descendant of theirs?" He asked, genuinely surprised.

"Yeah, don't worry. I get that a lot," she giggled, turning around to face her team afterwards. "Hey guys, introduce yourselves too."

"Of course," the lad with the spectacles nodded, stepping forwards. "I am Arthur Pendragon, at your service."

"Good to meet you, and that better not mean you'll start serving me as my butler or something. I'd rather us treat each other as equals," Young-ae nodded, moving to the next person, all the while ignoring what Arthur was about to say. "What's up?"

"Good. I'm Bikou, by the way," the monkey-like person shook the guy's hand. Just from this, Young-ae could tell that Bikou was a friendly, all-around super nice dude to be around.

"Kuroka, here, nya~!" The girl with black hair and are those cat ears sticking out of her head?

"Huh. You must be a Nekoshou, judging by those cat ears and tail _obviously_ sticking out of you," he highlighted the word 'obviously' with a smirk. "But good to meet you as well."

"Le Fay Pendragon, Arthur's sister," the blond girl with the witch hat gave a short curtsey.

"And the pleasure is mine as well," the lad nodded. "But damn, this is a pretty big group, if you ask me."

"Yeah, well, we work great as a team. We compensate for one another's weaknesses," Valeria's brief explanation earned a hum of understanding from Young-ae. "So, mind telling us what you're doing here?"

"Young-ae's here to join the Khaos Brigade!" Shiro answered in his stead the moment he opened his mouth, snapping her head to his direction, looking directly into his eyes. "You are joining, right?"

"I…" He would have said anything, but how she was literally staring him with those damned forbidden technique PUPPY EYES were basically forcing him to say yes. "…Well, why would I be here then? For some telemarketing?"

Everyone just blinked at what he said.

"No. Just, no," he groaned. "YES! I'm here to join you, in the name of gods and goddesses!"

"Yay! Young-ae's joining us!" Shiro was quick to embracing him once more, giggling into his chest. He sighed in response, patting her at the back of her head.

"Yes, yes, I'm joining you guys. Now, can you please get off of me?" He sighed in relief once she finally released him. "Thank you. So, now that things are done, I suppose I could go home now?"

"Not quite," a new voice penetrated the air, gaining everyone's immediate attention and respect.

Stepping into the room was the presumed leader of the Heroes Faction of the Khaos Brigade, indicated by how Young-ae couldn't sense any inhuman impulses from the man. He was no doubt handsome, with short black hair and blue eyes.

This was indeed Cao Cao, as the lad had read before. He wielded the [True Longinus], the very same weapon St. Longinus used to pierce Jesus Christ—Young-ae had thought such a myth was nothing more than utter bull, but it seems that he was wrong. It possessed the power to destroy just about anything it touches.

"So, you must be the person Ophis-sama constantly talked about," Cao Cao smiled. "I'm delighted to make your acquaintance. I'm—"

"Cao Cao, leader of the Heroes Faction of the Khaos Brigade," the lad answered, earning a wider grin.

"It seems that my reputation precedes me, more so than I originally gave credit for," he chuckled. The lad merely raised his eyebrow at this.

"Well sure, if you consider yourself being talked about in 'Hot Stuff, Bad Terrorists' magazine is considered being popular, then sure," he gave a shrug. "But really, no, I just heard about you from some people, don't worry. Or… wait, no. Worry."

"Uhh… Why should he worry about not being in some magazine topic about terrorists?" Valeria sweat-dropped.

"Because that just means he's not mean enough to be noted of," he answered, turning to look at the other black-haired male. "You can take offence, or not, it's up to you."

"I… think I'll pass…" Cao Cao sweat-dropped, but the smile implied that he was amused by this newcomer's antics. "In any case, I'd like to first and foremost apologize. I can't have just anyone join our ranks. But, since you're planning to join the Khaos Brigade, I would rather test your abilities beforehand. I mean, it is a group for those that possess skill, so I'd rather have strong warriors among out ranks."

"I see… Yeah, I can definitely see your logic. Weak men means a harder time terrorising people's lives," he scoffed. "But then again, I did say I was going to join you, so yeah, I'll play along. Just tell me what you want."

"Well, since you don't really mind, I'd like to see how you'll fare against one of Valeria's team members, although you could take her on, but I'd suggest you not to do so," his words were that of a demand, earning looks of surprise from the others, including the lad.

"Young-ae, you, don't need to do it, if you don't want to," Ophis spoke up, earning herself a pat to the head.

"Don't worry yourself, Ophis. This is actually a pretty good chance to see how my allies in the future are in battle," he grinned at the dragoness. "Plus, it's a battle. Obviously the best chance to strengthen your bond with each other."

"I'm glad that you think so positively about this, Young-ae," Cao Cao beamed at the lad. "So who shall it be?"

"Hmm… Let's see here…" At that, the half-ghoul decided to look at his possible opponents.

Arthur was indefinitely a great swordsman, just from the looks of it. He seemed to also be a master of magic, second to his sister. Quick and strong, undoubtedly dangerous were one to face against him either head-to-head, or in a sword fight. Adding to the fact that he wielded Caliburn, the strongest Holy Sword there is, which only proves how strong he truly is.

Next off the list was Bikou. The descendant of Sun Wukong, Young-ae could only presume. And he was right. He was physically strong, capable of taking hit after hit without breaking a sweat. Even in an ambush, he'd survive it, and, possibly win. It was hard to take him on without being properly equipped.

Then the girls. Kuroka was undoubtedly a master of Senjutsu, considering that she was a Youkai, this time however a… feline. If seduction was her skill, she would win, hands down. But, surprisingly enough, she could win in a fight if she wanted to. She has survived countless times being hunted down by the devils, Young-ae thought. A cunning foe.

Le Fay was, to put it in a nice way in case Arthur came over and kicked his ass, a… _not as strong as the others_. She poured all her focus onto magic, and came out as the strongest magic wielder amongst everyone else. In a true fight with fists, she… may or may not win, but it is in the magical vicinity where she truly lives up to her name. Add cuteness overload to the list of deadly things, of course.

And then…

'I don't think I could go against Shiro, not with what had happened a long time ago…' He had grown somewhat shameful for his defeat against the albino girl. He wondered if she still remembered, but supposed it was fine if she _did_ forget. 'So, if I were to choose, I would go for…'

He knew who to pick.

"Cao Cao, you earlier stated how you didn't want me going up against Valeria, am I right?" He turned around, the man smiling calmly.

"Well, of course. She is the strongest there is out of her group," he nodded. "She's both a Lucifer and the [Divine Dividing] wielder. Fighting against her is going to be a very difficult task."

"Young-ae, don't," Ophis, as monotonous as always. And yet, he could sense a small trace of concern laced in her words.

'Aww, how sweet…' He mentally chuckled, crossing his arms. "Then I know who I'm up against. Get ready Great White Empress. I'm choosing you."

"Really? You'll be fighting with me?" She was technically surprised, but couldn't hold back from sounding delighted.

"Yeah. I like taking the hard way out," he shrugged. "Well, sometimes. Err, unless if its too hard, then I'll take the easy way."

"Then who was the easiest to fight did you think, out of all of us?" Bikou asked, curious looks from both him and everyone else shot at him.

"Dude, I don't know…" He sighed. "So, Cao Cao, when is our arranged fighting time?"

"Well, that's up to you both to decide," he shook his head.

"Then let's go up against each other on…" His gaze drifted to the calendar so conveniently placed by one of the worker's workspace. "…Two days from now. Third of February, a Friday. How does that sound to you?"

"I'm good for that, yeah," she nodded. "Well, hoping for a good fight."

"Just… make sure not to beat me into submission please," the lad sweat-dropped a heartwarming laugh filling the room.

* * *

Friday—K **h** aos Bri **g** ade Bas **e** , Tra **i** ning Field **s**

It was finally the day for the battle between the newcomer and their silver queen, which got all the workers excited and pumped up to watch the battle.

News had spread even faster than wildfire, and soon enough, the whole of the Khaos Brigade had heard of the battle, which is why everyone were rushing to the training fields right now.

It was just a square area, possibly two acres wide. The spectators area were situated around the field, and there were guards stationed around, just in case.

When Young-ae arrived this morning, he had been getting snarky remarks and fearful comments, either that he was going to lose and that they were hoping he wouldn't die. He scoffed in his mind.

'I get that no one knows what I am, so they don't know much about me, but come on..!' He sighed, passing the looks that yelled 'You're going to lose!'. He was really hoping not to lose to another girl again in this lifetime.

It took some time, but he finally managed to find the training fields. The sheer number of spectators were overwhelming, but he paid it no mind.

There were two possible outcomes from this. One, he would win, and shake the very foundation with shock. No doubt he'd gain a ton of respect from everyone else. And on the other, he would lose. He'd make a mockery of himself, presumably, and everyone would laugh at him.

Either way, he was prepared for both. If he won, he would be a good sport and just accept it without boasting. If he lost, he'll accept it and just block out the taunts.

It didn't take long for Valeria to finally show up, wearing a grey tee with matching pants. Possibly her training gear.

"So, you'll be fighting in that?" She asked.

He didn't have much clothes to begin with. Right now, he was wearing a plain burgundy dress shirt with black sweatpants.

"Yeah… Don't even ask," he sighed. "So, any rules?"

"None. Cao Cao just said you'll fight me in any ways you want, but no restorative items," she informed, earning a nod from the lad. "Okay then, let's do this."

And without further ado…

 ***Final Fantasy XIII—Defiers of Fate (Play Song)***

*Phhaah!*

"Hrraah!" The half-ghoul emitted a loud battle cry, his kagune now out to the public eye. Even from Valeria herself, everyone had looked on with curiosity and impress. "Come on, Valeria. Let's get this over with."

"R-Right," she nodded.

 **[Divine Dividing!]**

The white wings-like Longinus finally popped up, earning cheers from the crowd.

A powerful SacredGear capable of halving the strength of a targeted opponent, which is then siphoned into the user. Basically, it steals the energy, making it a worthy weapon in the right hands.

Not wasting a moment, Valeria jetted forwards, intent on delivering the first blow. Even so, she was curious as to who or what he was. He didn't look human, but she couldn't sense anything abnormal in him, so… what was he?

Cocking her fist backwards, she lunged it forwards.

*Bang!*

"Whoa," her fist was blocked by the same blood-red tentacles spurting from his back. 'Man, they're actually really solid… They looked flimsy at first, but I suppose looks can be deceiving.'

He shoved her back, still standing on the same spot. He breathed a bit, rushing forwards next, leaping into the air and willing his kagune to strike. The tentacles were backhanded by the girl, but he managed to land a clean kick to the cheek, knocking her away to the side.

"You were way too open," he remarked as he dropped to the ground.

"Oh, alright then," she cracked her neck, a vicious smile popping up. "Don't mind me."

"Actually, I do mind, but whatever," he too got into a ready stance.

The female Lucifer made the first move, opting for another tactic. She outstretched her hand, shooting a ball of condensed grey energy. It shot fourth, unsteady, but powerful.

Even then, she was impressed when he merely batted it away with his kagune.

And yet, he had to admit; that ball of energy, no matter how simple it was, was incredible dense. Were he careless, he would have seriously hurt himself.

Deciding to raise the stakes, Valeria launched a volley of energy balls at the half-ghoul, watching him dance around to avoid getting hit. None of her attacks were hitting, much to her chagrin and amazement. He really was like a dancer, in this field of danger.

The way he so flawlessly avoided her attacks like they were nothing were both deserving of respect, and pretty attractive, really.

But of course, her train of thoughts were cut short the moment she saw him running towards her once again.

She erected a barrier of energy in front of her. Even then, it didn't stop him from shattering it, with one powerful strike.

'Don't let her hit you,' he told himself, twisting in the air to avoid her fist strike. 'That [Divine Dividing] of hers won't be a pretty show.'

Thinking that he's wasted enough time, he zipped towards her in a zigzag pattern, her energy balls missing him by a hair's length.

With a look of defiance on his face, she couldn't help but feel her heart skip a beat.

*Bam!*

"Ghugh..!" Too lost in thoughts had costed her dearly. She hadn't thought that he would actually use his own body.

But then again, whatever was sticking out of his was probably a body part too, so… yeah.

He quickly added another jab to the side of her face, probably causing a bruise. Even then, he didn't stop there, knocking her far back with his kagune.

She skidded to a stop, wiping off the blade from her lip.

"Man, you're pretty unpredictable," she snickered.

"Ehh, I suppose," he shrugged. "Come on, you're not holding yourself back, are you? I don't like pulling punches, so you'd better not."

'Well, that does it,' she grinned brightly, rushing into the fray.

She didn't care now. She loved fighting, and as going to enjoy winning against him.

Activating [Divine Divider], she propelled herself into the air, before letting loose a hail of ice towards the field, where Young-ae stood. Not stopping there, she willed her energy to mix in with the attack, creating a deadly combo otherwise capable of destroying everything.

Or so she, and everyone else, thought.

"That's all?" He sighed. "Might as well."

*Phhaash!*

They had thought those tentacles of his couldn't get creepier. Turns out they were wrong.

During his time in the human world, he had encountered other less-than-friendly ghouls. As such, were they to threaten him and Ophis, he would fight and kill them. At times, whenever he felt like it, he would consume them.

But what was special about him, was his RC Abnormal Typing, which would allow the RC cells in his body to develop other kagune depending on which ghoul he consumed.

Consuming those of the Rinkaku, the type of kagune he possessed, strengthened and enhanced his current kagune, allowing him to manipulate it at will.

And of course, it just had to work splendidly.

Now, rather than taking the shape of tentacles, it had developed into four pairs of spider legs, thick and sharp like swords. Even then, what scared the others, was how eyes had developed in those blade-like limbs.

And it took one single moment, drawing them like real swords, and slashing the barrage of attacks in one fell swoop.

*BOOM!*

 ***Final Fantasy XIII—Defiers of Fate (End Song)***

The energy balls had finally dissipated, and when the dust had cleared, there he stood, unscathed.

Young-ae looked at himself, mentally satisfied that he was able to pull this off.

He had long waited to use this new kagune. After realizing that he had been devouring way too many Rinkaku-wielding ghouls, he realized that he would be able to develop his own kagune as well.

As such, he was able to accomplish this.

'Not bad, for intimidation,' he too thought it was creepy, before reshaping it to its original form. 'Welp, I still love the real one. Father technically passed it to me, after all.'

And at that, his frown formed.

To think that everything happened because of his parents. To be born and taken away from them. It was truly a pity.

Time to let it go, he told himself. There was no way the pain would fully heal, but it had dulled enough for him to focus on other things.

"I think that's enough," Cao Cao stepped onto the battlefield, joined by Ophis. Valeria descended to the ground a moment later. "I must say, I was impressed with what I saw. You survived against Valeria this whole time, and didn't falter. You're pretty skilled."

"Yeah, well, years of practice does that for you," he nodded.

"But that begs the question, what are you?" He asked, genuinely curious.

"A half-ghoul," he answered. "Don't ask me. Read up on it yourself."

"Fine, fine," he chuckled, before outstretching his hand. "Well, I'm pleased to say, Young-ae, that you are officially part of the Khaos Brigade. Welcome."

The young half-ghoul took the leader's hand, shaking it.

* * *

O **ph** is's Shrin **e**

"You didn't die…" Ophis sighed in relief, earning a chuckle from the lad.

"Come on, did you really think that I was going to lose so early in the game? I did promise you that I was going to join your little playgroup," he grinned.

"True," she nodded, joining him at the living room before taking the fresh cookies he baked. "I, must say. I, was impressed with what I saw."

"So was I," he scratched the back of his head. "In fact, I had been thinking that I was going to lose. Valeria was strong, no doubt, so I was lucky that I didn't die."

"Don't," she shook her head. "Who, will bake for me then?"

At that, he couldn't help but stop and look at her. This girl, who was indeed the very dragon who represented infinity, had been so kind to take him in, and care for him. He was truly indebted to this girl, for everything she had done.

And it was because he loved her as a mother, and as a friend, that he managed to smile back.

"Of course it'll be me. No one else," he snorted.

* * *

The Next Day—K **h** aos Brigade Bas **e**

Now that Young-ae was part of the Khaos Brigade, his first task was to clear out the Stray Devils in the nearby town.

He was briefed about these creatures by Kuroka, who was considered one by the devils. They were, to put it simply, devils who betray their masters and possibly kill them in search for power and other things.

He wondered why the devils considered the Nekoshou a Stray, until he stopped to read on her documents.

It was stated that she and her little sister used to live under a devil as their master. However, he had attempted to shackle the sister and use her powers, causing Kuroka to kill him and flee. In the eyes of the public, this was a case of betraying her own master, thus causing her to be labelled as a Stray Devil.

"Mother f**kers," he muttered, a sour look on his face. "How could they do that?"

It wasn't fair, no doubt. What she did, she didn't do for power or wealth. She did it to keep her sister safe. This wasn't fair, no matter he looked at it.

And then, reading up on one of his teammates, he started to pry into the other's lives.

Valeria was prosecuted by her father, due to being a Lucifer and possessing a Longinus. Her grandfather had suggested such a thing, in which she was exposed to constant tortures and harsh treatments. Bastards, he thought. She was his own flesh and blood.

Le Fay and Arthur had always worked hard, trying to meet their family's expectations. They stuck to their lessons, their morals, and yet… They had received no love. That was what they wanted. Love. They didn't care about the public. They just wanted their family to see them.

Bikou was a descendant of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. He had been presented the title one day, and, due to the pressures of such a crown, he was forced to run away. He had been seeking ways on how to get stronger ever since, joining the Khaos Brigade in the long run.

Shiro was, well… He knew her. They were in the same experimentation lab. And yet, as he searched through her files, there were no such details. Maybe they just couldn't trace anything about her, or she had remained silent about such a thing? He didn't know.

Reading on his friends' lives, he felt sour. This was all the actions of adults. His teammates were all the same age as he was. They were all teenagers!

* * *

 **AN: For almost all my stories, the characters' age have constantly been reduced, and this fan fiction, as well as 'Resonance of Demons' are the same. Please bear with me.**

 **Bikou, Arthur, Kuroka; 17**

 **Young-ae, Valeria; 16**

 **Le Fay, Shiro; 15**

* * *

So to hear of such a mistreatment to each of them was just… terrible. He felt terrible inside.

'And I thought my life sucked…' He mentally sighed, returning to where his team was.

They were currently in the cafeteria, eating away and having conversations with each other. Young-ae joined them after getting his own snack.

"Oh, hey dude!" Bikou waved his hand in the air, with the lad returning the gesture.

"Where were you?" Kuroka asked.

"I was in the library," he admitted, keeping the part where he snuck into the officer's room to read on their profiles a secret. "Reading."

"You read a bit too much…" The Nekoshou giggled in amusement.

"Well, when you don't have a television in your home, reading's the next best thing," he shrugged. "Plus, it teaches you stuff. You can't deny that it's a pretty good thing."

"Yeah, I suppose so," the female Lucifer rolled her eyes with a smirk. "So hey, where do you and Lady Ophis live?"

"In a shrine in the middle of a forest," he answered, pulling out his bread and biting into it.

"What do you do in your free time?" Le Fay asked this time.

"Hmmm… Well, I read," at that, everyone chuckled. "Quiet. Anyways, I practice baking and cooking, go around eating…"

"Pardon my intrusion, but what do mean by _eating_?" Arthur spoke up, everyone else sharing curious looks with him.

"Okay, let's take things slow," he stopped eating. "Do you all know what a ghoul is?" His question was met with nods. "Okay, good. Now, what do we eat?"

"Human," Shiro answered.

"Indeed. Now, at times, there are crimes that happen, so I go there to deal with it," he finally resumed eating, allowing everyone to figure out the rest.

And when the puzzle snapped into place, they understood.

"Wait, so you go around eating the criminals?" Valeria blinked.

"Well, they're human, so yes. And I'm technically doing everyone a favor by getting rid of the troubles," he nodded. "Plus, it's necessary for me to eat man. If I go for a month without eating at least one whole body, I go rabid and'll start eating whomever I see."

"That's… something," the Monkey King coughed into his fist. "Question. What is that thing that sticks out of you, again?"

"A kagune, a predatory organ formed from RC cells stored in our kakuhou, a sack-like organ," he explained briefly, met with understanding nods.

"Seriously though… That last move was somewhat unfair," the Lucifer chuckled. "I was seriously not expecting that to happen."

"Yeah, well… Anything happens, I suppose," and with that, he finally smiled.

* * *

"Ophis, by work, did you mean..?" He sweat-dropped.

"Yes. I'm, hungry," she nodded.

After he finished eating, a secretary had ran all the way to Young-ae, stating that the Ouroboros Dragon wished to speak to him.

Of course, there was no way he could deny her request, so he came right after. He excused himself, wondering if it was something important.

But as it turned out…

"Seriously though, there's so many food sold at the cafeteria," he sighed, preparing the ingredients. "I mean, they sell everything. Cookie, bread, baguettes. Ahh, baguettes…"

"But, it's not you, who made them," she shook her head, another sigh escaping the lad.

"Fine, fine… What do you want?" He leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

"Mmm… I want to try something sweet," she told him.

"A pastry, you say? Sure, I've practiced making some," he nodded. "What would you like? Cake? Muffin? Tart?"

"Apple pie," she answered. "I, heard people talking about it. They, said it was delicious."

"Well, delicious is one way to put it," he smiled. "Alright, one apple pie, coming up."

They were in some form of resting area, supplied with a bathroom, a living room that had a television, and a small kitchen area with a fridge, an oven and a microwave. There were cabinets that had some other things.

He got to work, starting with the filling. Of course, the most important ingredient was the apples, since, well, this was an apple pie. Sugar, floor, ground cinnamon, salt, a bit of water and other things mixed into a bowl, before he poured it into a pie plate after placing a pie crust in it. Then he added a second crust, and deposited it into the oven.

It didn't take long. He was far too used to it now.

"Alright-y. That should do it then. Forty minutes of baking, then it should be done," he smiled in satisfaction, joining Ophis on the couch. "Give it some time. Three quarters of an hour, and it'll be done."

"Okay," she nodded.

"Haa… Well, at least you're asking me to bake for you. You wouldn't be disrupting anyone's work," he chuckled. "Plus, I don't trust anyone to make anything for you. Only the gods and goddesses up there would know what they put in your pie."

"True," she nodded. "And, no one can bake as well as you do."

"I'm flattered then," he grinned.

*Knock! Knock!*

"Coming," he called out, stepping away from the couch and opening the door, only to be met with familiar faces. "Oh, 'sup. What are you guys doing here?"

"Shiro wouldn't sit still, and kept saying how she wanted to see you," Bikou shrugged, knocked aside as a happy Shiro tackled her friend into a hug.

"Ghugh..!" He huffed, embracing her back. "Jeez, no need to worry or anything. I'm just with Ophis as usual."

"Aww, no fair!" She pouted, stepping away from him. "What about Shiro?"

"You know, you could always tell me if you want to spend time with me or anything. You just need to tell me when, and I'll see if my schedule is free," he sighed, patting on her head. The pout immediately turned into a grin. "Fine, I'll spend the day with you tomorrow."

"Really?!" She beamed at the offer.

"Yes. Right now," he gestured to the oven, all heads turned in that direction. "I'm making pie for Ophis."

"Oh, you can bake, Young-ae?" Le Fay thought, surprised.

"Yeah, I said that I practiced it, remember?" He chuckled back, the girl turning a few shades red. "In any case, it turned out that Ophis called me here because she was hungry, so I offered to make her something. She chose apple pie."

"Apple pie? That sounds delicious, nya!" Cherokee happily purred.

"That's, my apple pie. If you, want, go buy your own," the dragoness uttered, jaws dropping.

"Hey, no fair! Young-ae's our friend too, you know!" Bikou whined.

While they were busy protesting against Ophis's statement, Young-ae had retreated into the kitchen area to begin on the next batch of pie, just to satisfy his hungry friends.

*Ting!*

"Done," he smiled, pulling out the first batch and putting the second one into the oven. "Ophis, your pie is here. Hey guys, who knows ice magic?"

"I-I do," Le Fay stepped forwards.

"Nice. Listen, I need you to cool the pie for a lil' bit. Keep it to approximately five degrees Celsius. Make sure the cold air spreads throughout the pie's surface. Keep doing so for three minutes," he instructed, placing the pie on the coffee table behind the couch.

"Okay!" She nodded, getting to work.

Some time of waiting, and the second pie was done. Le Fay helped once more, while Young-ae served Ophis her pie.

"Careful. It's still hot, but that's how it's supposed to be," he grinned. "It tastes better when warm."

"Okay," she gave a brief nod, plunging the fork into the pastry. How it easily broke through the crust, yet the sound of crunching easily got everyone excited.

And when she finally dipped it into her lips—

*Boom!*

"Holy sh*t," the half-ghoul blinked. "I bet someone just used explosives."

"It's delicious…" Ophis's words brought him out of his reverie. "It's really good…"

"Oh, man! I can't wait to eat!" Bikou excitedly licked his lips in anticipation.

"Don't worry, you guys can dig in now," he nodded. "Le Fay, you can stop cooling it. Get a plate and fork, and start eating."

"O-Okay," she nodded, returning to the kitchen and bringing plates for everyone.

Young-ae leaned against the wall, watching everyone's reactions as they ate his work.

He was glad to see how satisfied they looked. The way their faces shaped into bright smiles were enough indication that he had done it right. Everyone looked so happy, it must have been delicious.

Suddenly, Le Fay came to him, offering him a plate.

"Come, Young-ae! The chef must try his own work!" She smiled.

"…" He didn't say anything for a while, before smiling eventually. He took the plate. "Thank you."

And with no hesitation, he brought the pie into his mouth, chewing it before swallowing. He thought on it for a while, eyes closed, as everyone awaited his comment.

When his eyes opened once more, he spoke.

"It could have used a bit more lemon juice," he chuckled, laughter filling the room.

"Man, ever the cook you are!" Bikou laughed. "But man! Ophis was right! This is the bomb!"

"If so, then we would be dead. But I wouldn't have minded such a thing. This pie is indeed very delicious," Arthur grinned, inviting more of the pastry into his mouth.

Everyone too ate, and Young-ae watched. His pie was left unfinished, given to Ophis afterwards.

* * *

That Night— **O** phis **'** s Shri **n** e

"Pffew!" He spat into the hole he dug in the ground, covering it up afterwards. "Whew, that was something."

"Young-ae," Ophis called to him. He approached her after properly sealing up the hole. "Why, did you eat the bread and pie?"

"Ahh…" He was taken aback by how attentive she was. He had thought she wouldn't notice it, considering how focused she was on eating. "You got me."

Ghouls possess a special enzyme in their system that allows breaking down of human meat. And yet, normal food would taste bad on their tongues. Were they to try and consume them, they could grow weak and tired.

Which is why the hole that Young-ae patched up earlier hid the bread and pie he had supposedly eaten earlier.

"Well, in the pie's case, Le Fay was offering it to me. I couldn't just say 'no' to her," he leaned against the pole. "And for the bread… I was just testing the difference between my own and the base's."

"And which one is better?" She asked, curious.

"The base's. They're using a special mix that makes the bread much softer, and it's easy to break apart. It's hard to say, but I think my own is lacking in comparison to theirs," he sighed.

"I, see…" She trailed off a moment later, staring up into the skies. There were no stars tonight. "Don't do that, ever again."

"Which one?" He asked.

"Eating things that aren't human meat," she answered, eyes displaying slight pain. "You, could have gotten sick…"

"Come now, it's not like I'm actually going to eat it," he smirked. "Ophis, joining the Khaos Brigade means I'm going to be fighting. Of course I'll need to take care of myself. As such, I'm always going to stay away from food. Err… human food, I mean."

"Okay," she nodded. "Oh, and Young-ae."

"Hmm?" He hummed back.

"Even if you, say the base's bread is better, I, still like yours more," she told him, stepping into the shrine and leaving him to his own devices.

Young-ae watched as the girl disappeared into the shrine, a grateful smile forming on his features.

"…Thank you, mother. For everything," he muttered, joining the girl a moment later.

* * *

D **r** e **a** m **s** c **a** p **e**

A stretch of greens. This was a meadow.

"…Huh?" Young-ae finally regained consciousness, realising that he was laying down on the grass this whole time. "The heck is this..?"

Standing up, he found himself standing at some meadow. It was wide, almost endless. Flowers adorned the grasses everywhere, and it was hard to miss that tall tree in the centre.

Not knowing what else to do in this strange world, he travelled to the tree, wondering what could be hidden in it.

Now at the foot of the tree, he realised that there was door hinged into it. As if it were hollow, and he could enter it through this door.

Deciding that it was better than nothing, he stepped into the space.

"What the..?" His eyes widened at the sight before him.

The space he was in was just pitch blackness, yet he could still see. In the centre of this space, a boy wearing a black school uniform with a blue-white striped necktie, wrists shackled to the 'ceiling'. There was no ceiling, so it looked like it was going forever. In front of the boy was a container with some cylinder.

Young-ae walked to the container, opening it. There was a label next to it—

"Void Genome…" The shackled boy spoke, eyes overshadowed by his hair.

"What is it?" The half-ghoul asked. "And look at me."

"U-Urggh…" The boy flinched, slowly looking upwards so that his black eyes stared into matching orbs.

"Tell me, what is this?" Young-ae shook the cylinder.

"I-It's the Void Genome… An object that bestows an ability to a selected person," he answered.

"I see…" The lad nodded in understanding. "Now tell me this. What are you doing here?"

"I-I don't know…" He shook his head. "I… died, I think."

"Died, you say? That sucks…" Young-ae's face turned sour. "But this isn't Limbo, so what are you doing here?"

"I really don't know…" The boy shook his head. "I remembered… My friend, my sisters… They were in trouble. I didn't have a choice, I..!"

"You did what any good friend and brother would do," the half-ghoul finished for him, sighing.

Moments passed. Silence was the only supreme ruler in this situation.

And then,Young-ae spoke up once more.

"Don't give up," he raised his voice.

"W-What? What do you mean?" The boy blinked, confused.

"You may have lost in that fight of yours, but I'm not going to watch you mope about losing and whatnot," he shook his head. "Any good soldier would steel themselves and return to the battlefield, and I know you're better than this."

"Well… what good can I do..?" He felt like giving up.

"This," Young-ae held up the cylinder, a surprised gasp escaping the boy.

"B-But, you found it…" He muttered.

"So? Doesn't mean it's mine. It was obviously yours from the very beginning, just out of reach," he shook his head, placing the cylinder into the boy's hand, closing it. "Wield it. I don't know what it'll do, but trust in its power. Use it to protect those you love."

*Khh..!*

The shackles started to glow, so too did the boy's body.

"I'm Young-ae Cross. What about you?" The half-ghoul smiled.

"I-I…" The boy finally smiled.

* * *

 _Lux von' Halcyon!_

* * *

 **A/N: Whoo, New Year! Happy 2018, everybody! And if you read this later than the first of January… Still, 2018!**

 **So, as you can probably tell just by this little scene, this is just a little insight to what I'm about to offer. It's definitely going to be something, trust me.**

 **Oh my God, this has been such an awesome journey! Thank you all for joining me on this dumb ride, and bearing with my writings.**

 **Well, let's have at it another time! See ya'!**


	5. Chapter 4

"I really like you!" - Speech

'Too much, huh?' - Thoughts

 **"Put him out…"** \- Inhuman Speech

 **'Pray to God.'** \- Inhuman Thoughts

 _"And just like that…"_ \- Flashback / Emphasis

*Brr!* *Smack!*- Sound effects

* * *

\ Chapter 4: Pri **s** on **e** r o **f** O **l** d \

He hated being confined.

The word itself sounded bad enough.

To be trapped was the absence of freedom. It meant that you wouldn't get to do whatever it was that you wanted. Your choices and life were determined by the people, whether you liked it or not.

He experienced it since he learned to speak. He was a prisoner, but he didn't want to be one, nor did he wish that others took his place. Yes, he may have considered himself a cold and heartless person, but it didn't mean he was a douche.

Living with Ophis may have helped him remember the good things about the world, but he still clung onto the unnecessary pessimism. All habits die hard, and the mindset of one can't be changed as easy as cards from a stack.

But even then, it didn't mean that he was going to stay stuck in his bad attitude forever. Which is why, currently, he was busy training with his new teammates.

*Boom!*

"Damn, he's fast…" Valeria whistled, watching as the half-ghoul broke speed records, passing trees in a fraction of a second. His being a blur, it took every inch of focus just to see him. "Come on, guys! Let's get him!"

"Trying our best here!" Bikou shouted back, drifting through the sky on his cloud. "Hell, he's faster than you, and you're supposed to be the quickest gal there is here!"

"You guys are just making excuses," Young-ae scoffed, leaping into the air to avoid getting blasted with a ball of energy. He landed on a tree branch deftly. "Not bad, Kuroka. But you're still horrible."

"Grrr… Well, see if you can beat our trump card!" She shot back. "Get him, Shiro!"

"Coming!" The girl's voice resonated from the direction of which the lad's back faced, and his face paled.

*Bang!*

"Shoot!" He jumped back, dodging a fist strike that landed itself in a tree trunk. He stepped to the left and right, back and tossing himself into the air, to avoid a physical trauma. 'Damn it… Their trump card was Shiro?! Yeah, I'm not going to win this.'

In terms of strength, he was known to be the best amongst them all. With Valeria as their leader, him, Bikou, Arthur, Kuroka, Le Fay and Shiro, he technically ranked third, second being the young Lucifer and first being the enigma of an albino.

She was a literal powerhouse, unable to be defeated no matter how hard one tried. Of course, a touch of the [True Longinus] could kill her, but other than that, she was a goddess. A living, breathing, goddess of war.

He knew she was that powerful, considering that he had suffered a defeat at her hands once. And all she needed… was _one punch_.

She is the one punch man. Except she's a girl. And she's not bald. And she's beautiful.

*Bam!*

She slammed her fist straight into the earth, cracking stone and causing a magnitude. The others lost their balance, but Young-ae, with the help of his kagune, managed to keep himself steady. Even so, he had to push himself away, lest he get himself a punch to the gut from the albino girl.

"Young-ae's doing great!" She chirped, missing the way he sweated under his brow.

'This girl is going to be the death of me. Literally,' he gulped, switching for a more evasive manoeuvre.

He twisted, ducked and jumped over and under trees, branches, and stones, all of which were constantly being thrown at him from every corners. Shiro was definitely making this any easier, but he didn't mind.

"Gotcha'!" Valeria shouted as she jetted at him from behind, close to landing a hit on him, until he blocked her attack with his kagune. "Tch!"

"I may not look behind me, but I know that I can't just let myself be blind all over," he commented, his words coming out in a bland mix.

Twisting himself on the spot, he allowed his foot to find its way to her jaw, slammed hard that he heard a 'pop' sound. The force behind it send her flying into Arthur, slamming him to the ground.

Le Fay appeared from behind a tree, chanting a string of words. Raising his kagune in front of himself, he blocked the blast of fire, deftly blocking the blast of senjutsu before dodging the albino's attack.

'Okay, this wasn't as hard as I thought,' he mused to himself, ready to survive one last minute—

*Bam!*

But his plan got knocked down flat.

"Ghhuggh..!" In place of where his stomach was located, a strong something had rammed itself into him, sending more than enough force to shatter his ribs.

*Crash!*

"Whoa, damn. Shiro, you got him good," Bikou whistled, watching as the lad dropped to the ground, coughing blood into the soil.

"Young-ae!" The girl herself paled, running towards him before rolling him onto his back, a wide frown on her face as her eyes threatened to spill water. "Young-ae! Shiro's sorry~!"

"Argh… Quiet, will you..? You'll help the pain go away that way," he knew it was a lie, but seeing that it had indeed helped her to remain silent, albeit with the few sniffles and tears, he decided it was unnecessary to clear the meaning. "Thank you…"

"I'm sorry…" She dipped her head low, eyes screwed shut as she awaited a smack to the face—Young-ae could never hurt his friends. And it was due to this that he replaced the smack with a hand on her head, gently rubbing her on that spot, the girl's eyes slowly opening.

"You were amazing back there… I can't believe you've grown so strong…" He chuckled, eliciting mewls from the girl as she enjoyed this treatment of his. He looked to Le Fay. "Sorry, Le Fay, but do you think you could cast some healing magic on me? My… lungs may have been punctured…"

"O-Oh no!" Her eyes wide in horror, she rushed towards him with her staff.

"It's strange that he's seemingly able of taking all of us at the same altogether, yet he is ultimately overpowered by Shiro, even alone," Arthur remarked, grinning as he watched his sister treat the lad's broken ribcage.

"No kidding. He's really good," she nodded in agreement.

"So, did Shiro tell you when she met him?" He asked.

"She said that they went to the same experimentation lab before. They weren't generally cell buddies or anything, but they did meet each other once, and one more time when they parted ways," she explained.

"She seems to like him quite a lot," his words came the moment the albino girl tackled her friend into a strong hug, the latter's face turning blue.

"Yeah," the Lucifer nodded. "Well then, I think we should get going. Don't you think so?"

"I agree with you wholeheartedly. We've completed our training for the week, and there's nothing left to do. Let us return to base," he informed his leader, who nodded.

And as such, they returned to the base of the Khaos Brigade.

* * *

Kh **a** os Bri **g** ade Ba **s** e

"Young-ae," Ophis called, outstretching her arms in front of her.

"…Fine," he rolled his eyes, moving forwards before getting to one knee and wrapping her with an embrace. "Were you fine while I was away?"

"I, was," she nodded, the movement felt from his shoulder. Moving away from him, she pointed to the kitchen area. "Cook for me."

"And us too!" Bikou added in a jiffy, licking his lips. "Seriously man! Your apple pie from before was killing it! We've got to have a taste of your cooking again!"

"I always found the culinary arts to be interesting, but never had I thought myself to be so compelled to learn such magic," Arthur chuckled, leaning against the doorframe. "We request the finest dish that you can concoct, Young-ae."

"You guys are lucky that the ingredients are being supplied by the Khaos Brigade. If I was paying for these, each of you are paying a tax," he scoffed, sighing right after. "Ophis, what would you like?"

"Something, that is venison," she answered. "Whatever it is."

"It's basically meat of a deer. It's like beef, somewhat, but has a richer taste and a much more finer texture. Soft, higher in nutrition, and low in calories," he explained briefly. "So you'd like a deer dish. Strange. I don't remember mentioning anything about deer to you."

"I, saw a picture of it, in a food magazine I, saw you keep in the cupboard in the kitchen," she answered, eliciting a chuckle from the lad.

"Yeah, now I get it. In any case, a deer dish. Are you guys cool with it?" He asked his teammates.

"Don't worry, nya. You're an amazing cook! No way what you're gong to make will taste bad!" Kuroka gave a sultry grin, her bright yellow eyes staring into his black ones.

"If you say so," he nodded. "Let's see… Venison… Venison…"

It wasn't common to hear one mention the thought of eating deer. Of course, there had been varieties of deer dishes in Europe, Canada, Turkey, but never had they been so focused and consumed a lot such as the classic chicken and cow. It was due to this that he had troubles thinking up of a deer dish, unlike other meats.

In fact, this would be the first time he would be experimenting with deer. He had touched, cut and cooked other meat, but this would be quite a challenge.

'So, what venison dishes are there that are easy to make, but still delicious?' He asked himself, knuckle touching chin as he closed his eyes.

Classic… Easy… Delicious… Deer… Consumable…

Mediterranean? No way. He knew how to make some, but he's never done venison based on that. Asian? Maybe, but he knew not.

"Come on, think..! Deer… Deer… Reindeer…" And just like that, his eyes widened, a gasp escaping him. "That's it!"

"You know what you're making?" Valeria asked, just as curious as everyone else were.

"Reinsdyrsteik," he answered. "It's a fun play on words. Reindeer-stick, get it?"

"…Ohh! Shiro gets it!" The girl clapped her hands together. "Sounds delicious!"

"And it should be. I've seen some people make it, and I'm happy to say that this is going to be quite the feast," he grinned, retreating into the kitchen.

Searching through the fridge, he finally got his hands on a cut of deer meat, a brighter shade of red than regular cow. With that, he pulled out the other ingredients, such as salt and pepper, carrots, onions, celery and other things that I'd rather not say, just so to not bore you readers.

Wrapping up the steak in its 'stocking', which was a net used for meat, he started off with the vegetables. Washing the carrots, onions, celeries and potatoes thoroughly, he peeled and began cutting them into satisfactory sizes. He placed them into a pan, leaving them for now. With that, he focused on the meat, rubbing it with salt and pepper, before turning up the heat for a new pan. Placing the meat on the pan, he began brushing butter on all its sides.

After five minutes, he started making the stew. Placing the meat into the pan with the vegetables, he poured water into it. He started the fire at sixty degrees celsius, allowing it to simmer in there. Of course, he knew that it would have taken hours to complete the process, so he had to use magic to manually speeden the process, allowing the sauce to form quicker. Once everything was done, and there was now a delicious-looking brown sauce at the bottom of the pan, he discarded the net and cut it.

He knew that that wasn't enough, so he added in shallots and mushrooms into it, after stirring them in a frying pan with butter. A warm smell of smoke filled his nostrils, and no doubt everyone were just quenching in their boots, waiting for the moment they'd get to sink their teeth in his work.

'Wait until they find out that this is my first attempt…' He could only imagine their reactions.

Adding the shallots and mushrooms into the plate, he served everything into a large bowl. To the left of him, a rice cooker. He got the device running, letting the rice cook for awhile. Again, he sped up the process, hearing a satisfying 'ting!' sound.

"Okay, done," he sighed with a smile. "Valeria, I'll be needing your help. Grab the silverware and plates. I'm bringing the food to the table."

"Got it," she called from the other side, walking into the kitchen and gasping at the sight before her. "Whoa..! That looks awesome!"

"And I daresay it should taste just as amazing," he grinned, very much hoping for it. "Come on, let's get these to the front. Everyone will kill us if we delay any longer."

"Kay'," she nodded, doing as she was told.

After bringing the food to the front, and, serving the food on separate plates for everyone, they dug into his work.

"Hh..!" Arthur's eyes shot wide, slowly chewing the piece of meat in his mouth. "Amazing..!"

"Yheahm!" Bikou agreed, mouth filled to the brim with the food. "Thisth stuff tastesth goodh!"

"The food isn't running anywhere. Don't force yourself to eat all of that," Young-ae rolled his eyes in amusement, grateful that he wasn't feeding his friends and surrogate mother toxic waste. "Take your time."

"But itsssh so goodff..!" The monkey-like man hummed out, his words lacking proper consonance.

"I agree! You're such an amazing chef, nya~!" The black Nekoshou added in her two cents, grinning from ear to ear as she tasted such a feast.

"Just you wait. Someday, I'll find someone that can satisfy your palates much better than my work can," he shrugged, feeling something tap against his arm. Looking down to it, he saw a plate with food on it, held by Le Fay once again.

"Please! The chef must have a taste of his own dish! It's only fitting, after all!" She giggled.

"Yeah, I guess he should," he grinned, taking the plate. "Thank you."

* * *

That Night—Op **h** is' **s** Sh **ri** ne

"Yuck to the uck!" He spat all the food into a newly-dug hole, covering it up. "Jeez, I should really make up an excuse or something…"

Maybe he could say that he was already full? Then again, he would have to be somewhere else without them were he want to use such an excuse. And overusing it was a no-go.

"Welp. In the end, I'd still have to eat it anyways. Whatever," he shrugged the matter off, walking into the shrine once more.

He was about to go look for his surrogate mother, until he found her reading a light novel. On the cover, was the picture of a girl with white hair and pointy ears.

'Don't need to say anything about that,' he thought. "Ophis."

"Hmm?" She looked to him, putting away the book for now. "You, finished throwing away the food in your mouth?"

"Yup. Kept it under my tongue this whole time," he nodded. "Then again, I didn't manage to keep _everything_ under my tongue, so I may have looked like a chipmunk this entire time."

"You, didn't," she shook her head, eliciting a sigh of relief from the boy.

"Thank goodness… I wouldn't want to draw any unnecessary attention on me," he sat down beside her, peeking at the book she was reading, before returning his attention to her. "So… Ophis."

"Yes?" She asked back.

"We've been living together for… more than five years, I could say," he scratched behind his ear. "And I was thinking… What was I like when I first met you?"

"You, were distrustful, and afraid," she answered.

"I see…" He nodded. "And have I changed..?"

"Indeed," the dragoness leaned her head against his arm. "You, smile a lot more. Even more since you've, met the girl."

"Which girl? There's like, three girls I've met," the half-ghoul chuckled. "Are you talking about Shiro?"

"Indeed…" He could have accepted it just as that, but the way her eyes were narrowed into slits had worried him for a bit. They instantly disappeared right after, returning to those same, grey orbs. "Young-ae, is everything fine for now?"

"Of course," Young-ae gave a firm nod. "I've met new friends, all of which are really nice people, and I've gotten the chance to meet _the_ Cao Cao. And then, I've reunited with an old friend of mine, one who I thought I would have never seen again, if it weren't for you."

"Me?" Ophis asked, a sliver of surprise in her word.

"Well, duh," the half-ghoul chuckled, slipping his arm over her to give her a one-armed hug. "You were the one that suggested to me to join the Khaos Brigade. If I had declined your invitation… I would've never seen Shiro again. And I never would've grown out of my shell."

"What shell is there?" She held her had against his side.

"Living with you… gave me the thought that I was the strongest. That I was enough to protect you," at that, he gave a sigh. "But of course, I'm not the strongest there is. Valeria was way more capable than I ever am, and Shiro's still kicking the living crap out of me. So yeah."

"You're, underestimating yourself, a bit too much," she chided, before standing. "Sleep."

"Right, right…" He groaned as he stood, leaving for his own bedroom. 'Goodnight, mother.'

* * *

The Next Day

"So our job is to capture a target?" Young-ae asked, gulping. "This is crazy…"

"Well, if it weren't crazy, we wouldn't be the Khaos Brigade to begin with…" Valeria sighed, walking down the corridor with him.

She was surprised at how open he was with people he trusted. First arriving here, he hadn't been able to look at her directly in the eyes. Of course, he did look at her, but he constantly shifted more at her forehead. Now, he was capable of smiling at her, just as he did with Ophis and Shiro.

And everyone else now.

She was glad to see that he wasn't some hermit or shut-in. The presence of muscles defined him rather well, and she would've killed to touch those—

"We're here," his words snapped her out of her stupor, the girl frantically looking around her. "Come on."

"R-Right," she nodded.

Stepping past the sliding doors, they were presented with the familiar display of modern technology. Computers that were blue with green code, typings of the keyboard filling the room, and people busying themselves with their duties.

Thank God he wasn't a secretary.

"Hey guys," the two swapped their attention to the source of Bikou's voice, the man himself standing in the centre of the room. "Come on. Cao Cao's got a few words for us."

The two descended the short flight of stairs, completing the team. They stood at attention, awaiting their commander's orders.

"At ease, everyone," he spoke, and everyone relaxed their postures. "I'd like to thank you for making time to come here. In any case, I have a mission for you, and I think the seven of you are fit for the task."

"What mission is it, nya?" Kuroka asked in stead of her team.

"Tomorrow, you are to investigate a certain stronghold in the woods. If possible, secure it, even if it means taking down those that are guarding the area," Cao Cao informed them.

"I get that you'd want to enlarge your space of rule, or something…" The half-ghoul sighed. "But what's so important about this stronghold?"

"Good question. You see, in that stronghold, there appears to be a powerful creature sealed away, and I'd like to see what it is," he answered, earning curious looks. "They say that this being is on par with the Heavenly Dragons."

"R-Really? That sounds dangerous…" Le Fay hid behind her brother, slightly whimpering.

"Indeed. But how it has been sealed, it only means that it can be controlled," he chuckled. "Valeria, lead your team to this fortress, and secure it. For Khaos Brigade."

"Hai!" She shouted back, allowing him to pass her and disappearing to wherever he was going off to. "Alright then, team. Let's get to there at the crack of dawn."

"Right," everyone nodded back.

Everyone except a certain Young-ae, who was thinking about the aforementioned creature.

'On par with the Heavenly Dragons..? This better not be a sealed ticket to Hell…' He gulped, but decided to see it through to the end.

* * *

Later

"I absolutely forbid it," Ophis decided, sounding unnaturally serious.

And you know it gets serious when it involves Young-ae.

"Oh, come on. Just think of it as a little trip in the woods. Like that one movie," he clicked his fingers. "Into the woods~! Into the woods~! Into the—"

"That song is bad enough, so please do not remind me of that movie…" Valeria groaned, closing her earholes with a finger.

"Really? I thought it was fine," he shrugged. "But you get the point."

As always, Young-ae would always go straight to Ophis in her resting room for a visit, and maybe cook for her. He had already known that she would be against his decision to take part in this mission, and his suspicions were right.

She may have had that blank look on her face, but he could tell that, underneath that mask of blank emotions, lay concern and worry.

"I say no, so no," she continued, not giving him enough room to argue.

"B-But, Young-ae's strong!" Shiro interjected.

"I can agree. He has proven himself to be quite worthy in battle, and I have no doubt that he would prove well against an enemy or two. I see none capable of downing him, unless you count Cao Cao and Shiro in," Arthur pushed up his glasses.

"So please, Ophis-sama, if you would please allow him to come with us, we'll make sure that he won't get injured," the silverette promised.

"I won't allow it," she shook her head, ever the stubborn girl she is.

"Mother," Young-ae finally called her that, and the reaction was unsurprising.

For once, the Ouroboros Dragon showed emotion. Her eyes wide with shock, body not moving anymore, and her mouth agape. Just the type of reaction from anyone that was surprised.

The others looked on with less surprise as his surrogate mother was showing, but it was still there.

Taking a moment to calm himself, he lowered himself to one knee, now on an eye-to-eye level with Ophis.

"I know you're worried, scared even, for me. And I'm honestly thankful for that…" He took a deep breath, steeling himself to say everything. "Listen, this isn't the last time I'll be doing things like this. I'm saying this because I will come back, alive. I can't leave you alone for a second. Imagine a year."

He chuckled, but how her face contorted into a pained expression forced him to retract his laughter.

"What I'm trying to say is… Don't stop me. I want to do this, and I can. I won't die, not now. Not until I've repaid you," he smiled. "I promised you, Ophis. I'll help you get rid of Great Red in the Dimensionless Gap, and I'll make sure that we'll get it done. Together."

Finally touching his forehead against hers, he allowed himself to breath slowly. Her own brushed against his face, warm.

"…You promise?" She asked, sounding desperate.

"Of course. I'm coming back to my mother. It's the biggest promise that I'm not breaking, ever," he added the last part just in case.

His heart hoped, ever so strongly, that she would not chide him for this decision. But the way her expression warmed up just a bit, and how there was the look of understanding written on her face, he knew he had won.

"…Fine. But you, will come back," her words blank, but they still held traces of fear.

"Of course, mother," he nodded, standing up. He looked to the rest of his team, noticing the wet eyes Le Fay and Shiro had. "Well, uhh... Ahem. Let's, uhh, let's get some proper rest for tomorrow."

"Yeah," the silver-haired Lucifer nodded.

* * *

The Next Day

"Alright, we're setting off," Young-ae cupped a hand around his mouth, speaking as he saddled a pack over his shoulder.

"Take, care," Ophis waved at him, of which he returned the gesture.

"Okay team! Let's get going!" Valeria at the front shouted, gaining affirmative nods.

And as such, the group of seven began moving, ready to get their mission done as quick as they could, and get home alive. Young-ae was amongst them who wanted that the most. He didn't plan to die now, no matter how he looked at it.

Far off in the distance, from the base, Ophis watched as the boy she's watched grown over the years disappear. Cao Cao approached her, standing beside the little girl.

"Ophis-sama," he called. "May I ask you a question?"

"Mmm," she hummed back.

"Do you have a dream?" He asked, curious. "Of course, if it's private affairs, then you need not—"

"I intend to return to the Dimensionless Gap, ridding Great Red from there in the process," she answered, before intertwining her fingers together. "But…"

"But?" He urged her to continue.

"I'll only return there with Young-ae," she finished her sentence.

And from just that one, simple phrase, he could already tell that the boy was indeed very special to her.

He had known the dragon of infinity to be incapable of displaying emotion, nor did he take her possible to even love others. And yet, here she stands, pouring all her affection and attention towards a boy she adopted.

A boy whose own blood family now stood in a new life, and left alone, suffering experimentations for years.

She was his salvation, and he was her light. They were perfect together.

'Mother and son…' He mentally chuckled at the idea. 'Things really do get interesting after some time.'

* * *

Mid **n** ight Fore **st**

Trekking through the woods were harder than Young-ae initially thought.

For one, there were so much overgrown. They were a constant pain in the sides, hindering their progress many a time. Of course, they could just cut them down, but try doing so when you're "faced with millions of them.

And the second… leeches!

"Yuck…" His face scrunched as he pulled the leech off of his arm, tossing it away.

Leeches were like slugs; slippery, soft, icky. An added thumbs-down was that they suck blood. That on its own was a disturbing thought, and there was no way he was going to let them have their fun.

"You can pour salt on them. They'll die that way," Bikou suggested.

"Huh? Salt? Seriously?" The half-ghoul pondered on the thought.

"Leeches, just as slugs and snails do, possess moist skin. As such, sprinkling salt on them causes the process of osmosis to begin," Arthur explained. "Long story short, it is the case of which they die to dehydration."

"Please explain this… _osmosis_ you mentioned, because I'm not too sure…" He scratched his head.

"It is basically the process of the solvent, in this case, water in the leech, moving from a high-concentrated area of solvent to an area of low-concentrated solvent," he continued. "How to put it… Pouring salt on leeches's skin causes brine to form on the skin. As such, there is less water on the skin. And so…"

"So… the water in the body is extracted and moves to the skin, to equalize the amount of solute and solvent, which is brine and water," Young-ae finished, earning a firm nod. "Ahh, I get it now…"

"Wow… Young-ae, you actually understood that?" Le Fay appeared, displaying genuine surprise.

"Yeah. I've read up on all sorts of science-related terms a long time ago. I just needed a refresher, because I forgot," he shrugged, before looking to the blond man. "Oh yeah. Thanks."

"It is my pleasure," the spectacled blonde nodded back.

"Jeez… You guys are getting along so well together…" Bikou feigned a puking motion, a tick mark appearing on the blonde's head.

"Well, at least we do not waste time staring into empty spaces," he shot back, but the monkey-like man took no offence.

"Young-ae?" Said lad glanced past his shoulder, staring at the girl with the witch hat. "May I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead," he nodded.

"You and Shiro… How would you describe your… relationship with each other?" She asked.

She had to admit, she was extremely curious on how he saw them together. Even so, she couldn't tell him that he was immediately put under the spotlight, eyed by every one else, counting out Shiro, who was skipping way ahead.

"Hmm… Good question. I would say we're only friends," he shrugged. "Just like I am with the rest of you guys. We're friends, aren't we?"

"Of course we are, bro! What kind of question is that?" Bikou snickered, wrapping an arm around the younger lad's neck. "We're all buddies here, no matter what!"

"Good to hear," the half-ghoul smiled.

* * *

A while later, after so much walking, they came across a large, gaping ravine. Both ends of the ravine were connected by a large, sturdy wooden bridge.

Looking down into the ravine, it was hard to get a click on how deep it went. In fact, tossing a stone down there elicited no sound, so it must be pretty deep.

"I-Is this safe?" Le Fay asked, slightly worried.

"It should be. There's no sign of weathering, nor is there any indication that it has been used frequently. We should be fine," Arthur chimed in.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Shiro chirped, running forwards.

"S-Shiro!" Valeria clicked her tongue, rushing towards the albino.

"Let's go, nya," Kuroka's suggestion was met with nods from the remaining members.

Once the team finally crossed the bridge, they were now at the end where the stronghold was built. And in all honesty, it wasn't all that bad. Made from cobble and thick bricks, it gave the visage of something built to defend. To—

"Secure…" The half-ghoul was brought out of his thoughts, looking at Shiro. There was an uncharacteristically frown on her face, and he knew what she meant. It brought bad memories. "Young-ae, is something really kept in there?"

"I think so," he sighed. "I mean, Cao Cao wouldn't have sent us here on a whim. This is important, no doubt. So let's… Let's just go check it out already."

"No," the Nekoshou stepped forwards. "I'll go on my own. The rest of you, stay outside and watch for any other movement."

"You sure?" The lad's question was met with a nod. "Alright. Just be careful, alright?"

"You got it, nya!" She smiled back, disappearing into the stronghold.

Now, they played the waiting game. It was fine for a few minutes, but an hour of doing absolutely nothing was beginning to wear their patience thin. They grew restless, unable to not do anything. Valeria herself was prepared to burst into the stronghold, until Kuroka returned.

"There's no one. But there's a safe room of sorts," she informed her leader.

"I see… Must be the creature Cao Cao was talking about," the silver-haired girl nodded, before looking back to her group. "Alright everyone, let's move."

The group made their presence known in the stronghold. Entering the building, it was just a wide space with stairs on either sides of the walls that lead to the second floor, which was just the roof of the building. However, there seemed to be a large wooden door on the wall opposite of the door they walked through.

"There's a staircase pass that door, nya. From there, we'll reach the safe room," the Nekoshou explained, understanding looks shot here and there.

"Then let us make our move," the young Lucifer stepped forwards, joined by her teammates.

Pushing past the large door, there was indeed a flight of spiralling stairs. Descending it, they soon came across a secured door, after walking down a corridor.

The door was constructed from reinforced steel, with complicated magic locks set up on every of its edges. With them, the matter of merely slamming it open wouldn't work. It was hard to get in.

"And hard to get out," Young-ae remarked, earning a curious look from Valeria.

"What makes you say that?" She asked.

"I mean, whoever built this technically made this door to prevent whatever they're keeping in there from breaking out. Doesn't that make any sense?" He answered, ending with a question.

"Hmm… He's right," Arthur nodded in agreement. "This being that they contained was described as being on par with the Heavenly Dragons, which is enough to tell us that it must be unbelievably powerful. As such, measures such as this are taken to prevent it from escaping."

'Hey Albion,' Valeria called in her mind. 'Is what Cao Cao said true? Is this thing as strong as you?'

 **'You're asking me? I'm not sure, but…'** The dragon paused, searching for his words. He gulped a moment later, the sound resonating in her mind. **'I think I can believe that. This power that I'm sensing from it… It's way too much.'**

'Seriously?' She paled at his answer.

 **'No kidding. Don't, I tell you, _don't_ engage that thing. It's dangerous…'** He warned, cutting the connection a moment later.

"So Le Fay, can you break the seals?" Young-ae asked.

"Unfortunately, I can't… These locks, are layers of magic seals on top of each other. It would take too much time to unlock them, and even more to understand them… Please forgive me…" She apologised.

"Don't worry about it," he waved her off, thinking on how to break this door now. "Hmm… Maybe we could lure it out? Use meat or something?"

"The seals would prevent it from breaching, however…" The blond witch frowned, earning a hum from the lad.

"Then… Okay, I have an idea," his words were met with looks of curiosity. "Le Fay, can you overdose these locks with mana?"

"Umm… Sure, okay," she nodded, doing as she was told.

Breathing in and out, she willed her mana to flow out of her body and into the seals. Blue light pulsed around her body, 'flowing' to her arm before sweeping over the door.

"What's going to happen, nya?" Kuroka asked, curious.

"A hypothesis of mine," he answered vaguely. "I'm not sure if it will work, but… Anything's better than—"

*Kh-chunk!*

Le Fay yelped, watching as the magic seals suddenly cracked, before finally breaking, fading into simple breeze of mana, released into the air.

"It worked…" The young Lucifer was amazed, impressed, and simply blown away at the display. "H-How—"

"Ehh, simple logic…" Young-ae shrugged. "Overheating something makes it break, right? I thought that applying that here would work as well, so yeah. Woo hoo."

"Yay! Young-ae's so smart!" Shiro tackled the boy in a hug, who merely returned it, softly. He was far too used to these sort of things by now.

"Well then, let's get that big bad door open and see what's inside," he spoke.

"R-Right," she nodded.

At that, Bikou pushed the large iron door, his staff pole ready, and with the others baring weapons as well. Young-ae held himself back from producing his kagune too early, in case the creature would decapitate him of the organs early in the game.

Stepping into the containment cell, it was just a wide, cube-shaped room with strong steel walls. Everywhere they looked, there seemed to be a form of damp, green goo staining the walls, giving it a disgusting look.

"Jeez… They built this whole room with steel," Young-ae whistled. "Who could have been—"

*Thud!*

"Ghhaahg! / Young-ae!" Valeria's eyes widened in a flash of a second, brain unable to register the fast blur that zipped past her, tackling the half-ghoul to the floor. Everyone were prepared to attack, until—

"682!" Shiro's mouth turned into a wide, grin, eyes bright with joy before she too joined her friends.

*Rrrhaa!*

"Stop! Stop it! Stop!" He tried his hardest to pry the creature off of him. And yet, no matter how hard he tried, there was no stopping her..!

She was licking him. And he felt dirty.

"Stop, 682! Please!" His begging tone finally removed him of the heavy weight. He propped himself up with his elbow, catching sight of the apologetic look on the lizard's features. "A-Ahh… Damn it…"

The hell? How did she end up here?

"Nice to see you too," he spoke after some time, earning a chirp(?) from the lizard.

"Wait, you know this… thing?" Valeria asked, somewhat suspicious of the creature. Though it looked friendly enough, Cao Cao still deemed it a threat.

"Yeah… She," everyone besides him and Shiro looked at him in a questioning manner. "Don't ask me. Ask her. Anyways, remember how I told all of you that I was being experimented alongside Shiro?" Nods from everyone were responded with his own. "In any case, 682 over here was also contained, alongside us."

"R-Really? Damn, it's scary as hell…" Bikou gulped, subconsciously taking a step back.

"Scary, sure, but she's nice," he wiped off the spit on his face, scrunching up. "Well, a bit _too_ nice…"

"Yeah! 682 is Shiro and Young-ae's friend!" The albino kneeled to give the creature a hug, of which the latter happily returned the gesture.

"Hey 682," the creature looked to the half-ghoul. "What happened to you? After we separated, after so many years, we find you in this containment cell. What happened?"

*R-Rrhaa…*

The creature snarled softly, before it turned into that of a whine. While everyone didn't understand what it said, it looked as if Shiro and Young-ae understood it, indicated by how their faces displayed varying expressions in response, such as pity and concern.

"I see… So you were just living in the woods, until several cultists encountered you, and took you here," he sighed. "But where were you before this?"

*Rrhara!*

"Canada?" He blinked, somewhat taken aback. "You mean you travelled all the way from _Japan_ to Canada, then _came back_?"

"Really? That's a whole total of 16,156 kilometers travelled, counting back and forth," Arthur blinked, surprised as well.

*Rruhaa…*

"You returned because the people looked like puppets, and you always had to face dire wolves..?" He repeated her statement, scratching the back of his head. Maybe she saw the world differently than humans.

Maybe he should take a trip to Canada someday, just to make sure…

"W-Well, putting that aside, it's still good to see you again," he offered a smile, returned with a loud chirp. "Yeah."

"Hey Young-ae," Valeria called, earning his attention. "Cao Cao… He said that 682 here is the creature he wants secured. What do we do?"

"Like hell I'm handing her over," he clicked his tongue, adopting an infuriated look. "Sure, she's powerful, and she isn't technically human, but even if he is my leader, I'm not giving him my friend."

"Well, yeah… But he wouldn't like it if he learnt that you hid her away from him," she frowned.

"Who says that I'm going to hide her?" He smiled, earning a questioning look from her. "I'll take her in, have her live with me and Oph—mother, and he won't suspect a thing. Of course, we'll have to lie to Cao Cao about there being no monsters here."

"Are you sure? He may suspect you for taking her," she looked to 682, who was sharing a conversation with the albino.

"He won't," he shook his head. "As much as he would try, he wouldn't dare go against mother's words. I'll try asking her if I can keep 682 with me, and if she says 'yes', it's a win for me."

"Are you really sure about this? You don't want to hide her or anything?" She asked once more, just to be sure.

"Valeria, if I try to hide her, and he finds her, there's going to be hell. At the very least, if I don't try to hide 682, he'll really think that I took in a pet, so he won't suspect anything," Young-ae explained briefly. "But for now, I can't take her with me. But she can't stay here too…"

"Then let 682 come with Shiro!" The albino shouted, earning both their attention. "Shiro can take care of Shiro! Really!"

"If you're going to take 682 with you, I need to know where you live first and foremost," he requested.

"Mmm… Shiro lives on a tree," she answered.

"That's not going to work!" He sweat-dropped, knowing for sure that 682 would be discovered easily that way. "Okay, here's the plan. I'll just take 682 with me, and keep her hidden under the radar for the time being. Once the heat dies, I'll announce that I'm getting a new pet, no offence 682, and he'll believe me. Easy as that."

"Well, this better work, or else we'll all be knee-deep in trouble…" The young Lucifer sighed, before aiming a smile at the lad. "But seriously though, to think that she likes you…"

"We're friends," he shrugged, giving a look at the creature. "We are, aren't we?"

*Rruhaa!*

"Thank you," he smiled.

"Well then everyone, I'm pleased to say that the mission," and their leader flashed a bright smile as she looked to her teammates and friends, silver eyes wide as well. "Is accomplished!"


	6. Chapter 5

"I really like you!" - Speech

'Too much, huh?' - Thoughts

 **"Put him out…"** \- Inhuman Speech

 **'Pray to God.'** \- Inhuman Thoughts

 _"And just like that…"_ \- Flashback / Emphasis

*Brr!* *Smack!*- Sound effects

* * *

\Chapter 5: Ju **s** t Blo **o** d **y** **D** ays\

Working with a set plan was never his forte. Luckily enough, he managed to get through it just fine, even if it felt too close to the danger zone.

After returning to headquarters, Valeria had forged a report, detailing everything that went down. There wasn't much to write in the first place, since it was so uneventful. Oh yeah. They also put out the fact that they weren't able to find 682, for Young-ae's sake.

While their leader found it very suspicious, he decided to drop it, lamenting how they wouldn't be able to have such a powerful being in their ranks. That only made Young-ae even more relieved at not revealing 682 to him.

Now that everything had been done, it was Young-ae's turn to make good on his end.

Arriving at the shrine of where he and his mother lives in, he walked up to the front porch, knocking the wooden pillar at the side. He'd do this every time he would return home.

"Coming…" Ophis's monotonous voice rung from the back, before she appeared, wearing a simple black gown. "Young-ae."

"Mother," he gave a short bow, rising to full height with a nervous look. "Umm… Can I speak with you about something? Inside, perhaps?"

"Of course," she nodded, stepping into the shrine and making her way to the living room. Young-ae followed after her, idly noticing the fresh scent of what could be described as an assortment of spices coming from the kitchen area, taking a seat across from her. However, she seemed to dislike this, urging him to sit beside her, which he did, reluctantly. "So, what do you, wish to say?"

"Well, it's… Uhh…" He gulped, scratching the side of his chin as he slowly levelled his gaze to the floor. "See… Do you, by chance, know the… expedition we went on today?"

"Indeed. You, went to the forest, to get something," she recounted, fingers fidgeting lightly.

"Right. Well, you see…" Young-ae knew he had to come clean, if he wanted her to keep on trusting him. "We told Cao Cao that we didn't find anything. But in truth… we— _I_ took it with me."

There was no visible expression displayed in response. If she was surprised, angry or disappointed, she was doing a really good job at hiding it behind that mask of nothingness.

Or maybe she didn't really care? As far as he knows, the only times when she's really shown such emotions is the time when he has to go off for some dangerous mission, is unable to spend time with her because he's called away for something, when she can't eat his food, or he gets hurt.

Seriously though, that one officer thought he was actually going to get castrated by her, just because he accidentally dropped a stool on the lad.

Poor guy.

"I, see," Ophis nodded slowly, leaning to the side so to rest her head against her son's arm. "And?"

"And? Uhh…" Well, to tell her about it was easy. It was the matter of getting her to agree. "See, I was wondering if we could bring her in. You'd tell Cao Cao that you adopted her from some far-off place, and have her contracts made. Of course, you don't need to force yourself to do it! I won't hate you if you don't agree with our plan or anything! It's just that—"

"I, can sense a feeling of, familiarity between you and it," her words ceased his frantic rambling. She tilted her head up to stare into her son's eyes, gray meeting pure black. "You, met it long ago, didn't you?"

"A-Ahh… Yeah…" He nodded, feeling unusually shy. "Back when I was still contained, she," the dragoness actually made an eyebrow cock upwards. "Yeah, I know. Strange. In any case, both she and Shiro were part of it as well. I… managed to befriend them in that short time."

"Hmm… I see…" She hummed in understanding, looking to the clock on the wall. It was past eight, almost close to reaching the next hour. "…Very well. I, shall take her in."

He perked up, eyes replaced with a sense of joy that his request was being fulfilled.

"But, I'd, like to see what she, looks like," her request was met with a nod from her son, who left the shrine.

He returned a moment later, with what couldn't really be described as an animal. A rotten crocodile that could've also been mistaken for a dog.

*Rhauah!*

"What? No, this is my mother," Young-ae crossed his arms, earning a surprised look from the creature. "Hush," he clicked his tongue before turning to Ophis next. "This is SCP-682, or 682 for short."

"Mmm… No," she shook her head. "We, cannot use 682. Cao Cao, will be suspicious. It is, after all, an indication that she, was part of the 'Secure Contain Protect' foundation."

"True. And dang, you know your stuff," he whistled in amazement. "So no using 682, huh? Okay… What name should we give to her then?"

At that, everyone looked down, as if the answer was on the floor itself. They began thinking, propping names into their minds as quick as they could.

To give one a name, was to give them the very definition of their being. Names were like the short synopsis to one person's character, so they'd have to choose something that fit 682's persona, even if this would be the first time they'd ever have to do such a thing.

Seriously, how hard could it be, just to think up of a name for a mutated creature that can't even be killed?

Apparently, _really_ hard.

"…I can't think of a name," he scratched the back of his head, looking defeated.

"But I, have," the dragoness's words had everyone else's heads snapping towards her. "But if you'd like, we, can make it temporary."

"Temporary, you say? Well, sure, I guess…" He could only wonder what sort of name she had conjured.

"I, thought of naming her," and she allowed a pause, just to make it seem a little bit dramatic. He raised an eyebrow in expectation. "Nue."

"Nue?" He repeated, earning a nod from his mother. And then, he remembered looking up the name once, and the memory clicked in him once more.

In Japanese mythology, it was a legendary monster that supposedly had the head of a monkey, the arms and legs of a tiger, body of a raccoon dog and a snake for a tail. While it may have sounded rather comical, it had wreaked havoc all across the places that it had targeted, placing fear into the hearts of many that would have lived to see such a monster.

Thinking about it, it actually would fit well the SCP, seeing that no one ever dares to defy her. He remembered the old days back in that experimentation base, knowing just now why they called it the 'Indestructible Reptilian'. But Nue, huh?

"You sure of calling her that? I mean," he gestured to the SCP. "She looks nothing like a nue."

"As I, said before, it can be temporary," she shrugged, before pointing at the clock on the wall. "Young-ae, make dinner."

"Dinner? Oh yeah, it's night time already…" He sighed. "Okay. Nue, you go sit with Ophis. I'm gonna' make us something to eat."

And off he left for the kitchen, ready to get down and dirty. Well, not exactly dirty. Hygiene itself is important so to make sure that he made good and healthy food.

* * *

The Next Day

"So, we're going to have 68—I mean, Nue, live with Ophis for the mean time, just until the heat dies down," Young-ae finished recounting, leaning back into the couch. "Only then will I allow her to walk out there in the open. Any questions? Arthur."

"Why, exactly, did Ophis choose to come up with the name Nue?" He asked. Just that alone elicited a sigh from his friend.

"Dude, I don't know… All I do know is that it's temporary, and could be changed if we want to," he shrugged in response, not understanding the reason either. "Or, if there's really no other names, we'll just stick with this one."

"Well, I think it's cute!" The younger Pendragon commented, looking satisfied.

"Yeah. Well, that is until you go research what a Nue really is, then you'll reconsider on naming her that," he snickered, not missing the look of confusion on her face. "So Valeria, does Cao Cao have any jobs for us?"

"No, not yet," Valeria shook her head, leaning against the wall. "I went to him just this morning, but he said that there was nothing to do. So, here we are, relaxing."

There was a collective sigh from everyone there, whilst Young-ae looked to each of them with amusement. Sure, they were part of some corrupted organisation that ruins people's lives, but these people were still normal teenagers. Teenagers that, believe it or not, had a goodness in their lives.

And it would be hard to call Le Fay evil. Look at her, for crying out loud! She couldn't even harm a fly, even if she were ordered to!

'These guys…' He kept himself in his thoughts as he watched them converse with each other, mentally frowning as he kept a smile on the exterior. 'They've been through Hell. They only came here because the situation called for it.'

Just like him.

Each were forced into a situation that were just wrong for them. Sure, he's suffered, but what they've gone through could have been worse. Who was he to take pity upon them if he may not truly understand the full impact of their own personal experiences on them?

"Neh, neh, Young-ae!" Said boy turned to his right, reeling slightly back when she basically filled his entire vision with just her face—she had jolted her head directly at him, grinning brightly. "Who do you like more? Shiro or Le Fay?"

"S-S-Shiro..!" The blonde grew flustered, averting her gaze from the boy. And yet, she kept stealing glances at him.

"Ehh? What sort of question is that?" He asked in bewilderment, taken aback at the sudden question. "There's no way I can choose. I like both of you equally."

"Aha! See, Le Fay? Young-ae likes both of us!" The girl giggled in glee, hugging her friend, who returned it with a chuckle.

"I-I see…" There was a sense of relief, as she sighed in relief, though the previous embarrassment she felt did not dissipate just yet.

It was some time later before they decided to just talk about random stuff, such as political issues and who was the prettier girl—Young-ae couldn't help but feel as if they were asking for his opinion on this matter—and things like that, until a man dressed in an officer's uniform came into the resting area.

"Cao Cao wishes to speak with you," the messenger informed them, before giving them a short bow, leaving right after.

"Well, let's get going, guys," Valeria spoke, everyone nodding their heads in response.

* * *

Meeting Cao Cao's gaze would be difficult, the half-ghoul told himself. Some people had that ability to tell whether you were lying or not just by looking into your eyes. And yet, were he to avert his gaze away from the leader, he'd only be casting suspicion onto himself, which would be even worse. As such, the lad kept his gaze equal to the black-haired man's.

He looked a tad bit disappointed, sure, but there was also a sense of understanding. Maybe things weren't going to be so bad?

"I'd like details of your journey to the supposed containment unit, if you would. See, when you arrived there, was there absolutely nothing?" He asked, earning a nod from Valeria.

"Indeed. The metal doors seemed to have been protected by some form of complicated seals. And yet, when we arrived there, they seemed to have been… short-circuited," she explained, baking up that lie right there and then.

Young-ae wanted to just leave this room, but he knew that there must be something else that their commander wanted of them.

The human, not entirely realizing the true situation, just nodded his head.

"I see… I have a question for you, Young-ae," he aimed his question at the half-ghoul, who maintained a look of calm—inwardly gulping. "Do you have any idea on how they managed to break the seals?"

"Okay, I'm not exactly an expert in that sort of field. Le Fay is the best under that sort of category," he shrugged. "But, if I had to say anything… I don't know. Even Le Fay said that those seals were pretty tight. Like… like… a three-hundred words essay."

"The heck does a seal have anything to do with an essay..?" Bikou asked, sweat-dropping. Credit to him, though. He could be very confusing at times.

"I mean, seals are constructed from you chanting words, right? So, the more words used, the stronger it is," he answered, before turning to the human. "I'm sorry to disappoint, but I don't know how they broke it. Either they actually managed to unlock it, layer by layer, or they negated it with some form of spell. Other than that, I can't say."

He held back from saying that it had been overfed mana. If Cao Cao knew, they'd immediately be in deep sh*t. There was also the chance that they may not be, but the human was a deceptive one. Young-ae just wanted to be safe.

"Hmm… Very well. I suppose I can let it slide this time," Cao Cao sighed, turning to Valeria. "For now, I'll be giving you your next assignment."

He briefed them for a short while, their mission requiring them to meet up with a Fallen Angel in Kuoh, a city in Japan that was currently a territory of the Gremory household. The half-ghoul wanted to speak his mind, calling it suicide, but decided not to. He hadn't seen an angry Cao Cao, but he could imagine getting beaten to sh*t by the human, so he decided not to say anything.

After all the details had been passed down, the young Lucifer read through the files he passed to her, giving it a brief read-through.

The fallen they were supposed to meet was Kokabiel, a former fallen-governor who was apparently in cahoots with Cao Cao. Suspicious bastard, he was, but they were tasked with meeting him, no matter what.

"So… We go see him, and what?" Bikou asked in everyone's steads.

"He will present you with a parcel, one of which contains a special item that he found somewhere. He said that it would give someone incredible powers. What sort, neither he nor I know yet," the human explained. "In any case, you will go on Thursday, three days from now."

"But what if he tries to attack us?" Arthur brought up the question, sounding serious and worried at the same time.

"He won't. I've given him details on the people he will be meeting up with. You're good to go," he smiled in response.

"But where? I can't see myself standing in the middle of Kuoh, talking to the guy out in the open no less. We'll be threatening the already shaky peace the three factions got going on," Young-ae spoke next, his statement a solid point that it impressed everyone else.

"My, quite the sharp eye. But no, you won't be meeting him there," he chuckled, impressed. "There will be a church on a hill nearby. You are to rendezvous with him there."

He looked to each one of them, recognising them as the best amongst everyone in the Khaos Brigade. Sure, they haven't done much, but amongst everyone else, they were the pillar that held the brigade strong. Without them, they'd lose a fraction of their strength.

"I expect good results from this one. Understood?" He sounded stern.

"Hai!" Everyone shouted back.

* * *

That Night

The whole day was anything but eventful. There wasn't much interesting stuff, but they did train. Sparring against Valeria taught him much, just as he fought against everyone else. And once he got home, he had sore muscles that felt as if they were going to be lasting for days.

*Rhghaa…*

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be fine," he dismissed Nue's concern with a wave of the hand. "So yeah. That's all there is to it. Do you know anything about Kokabiel?"

"Mmm… All I do know, is that, he is manipulative," she warned, eyes narrowed. Looks like even his mother didn't like the bastard that much. "He, would do anything, just to get what he wants."

"Hmm… Okay, what is his goal for helping the Khaos Brigade?" That question had been bugging him ever since he got home. But not as bad as the pain his body was experiencing, though. That was way worse.

"He, wishes for war," she answered, surprising him. "There are some, who wishes for peace. Others, wish to shed blood. He, is one of them."

"Seriously? What a d*ck," he huffed in annoyance. Such a foolish wish, to want to fight more? He would be the destruction of everyone then. "Sure, he likes fighting, but couldn't he be helping out in fighting the bad ones?"

"He, does not care. He wishes for war, against the other factions," she answered him.

*Rhha…*

"No kidding. It's utter bull, no matter how you look at it. I mean, war ruins people's lives, and he wants that to continue? F**ker…" He was no stranger to such a thought, but couldn't help but feel angered at that sort of mindset. He enjoys war? Well, screw him, for all he cared.

The world had already suffered due to the 'Great War' the three factions had been engaged in for the longest of times. With peace, no one had to be afraid of dying, or having to look out of their windows for anyone aiming for their heads.

But if he was going to do something like this, then all their efforts to secure this peace would have been wasted. Lives were going to suffer, children will lose their families, and the world would never be the same again.

Let the past go, damn it.

"Still, I suggest that you, be careful. He, is an incredibly powerful fallen, who wouldn't mind fighting others, no matter who they are," her warning lingered in his mind, and he took it to heart.

"As you say, mother," he gave a short nod before standing up. "So hey, what would you like?"

"Pasta," she answered almost instantly, hunger in those otherwise void-like eyes of hers. "With lots of meat."

"Spaghetti bolognese it is!" He grinned, retreating into the kitchen as usual.

Sure, he was supposed to be resting, but cooking always made him ignore everything else. Everything, except the satisfactory smiles he'll get to see on the people's faces. And as such, determination settled in him once more.

* * *

The Next Day

"Leave," Ophis hissed, scaring off the worker before he ran away, screaming. "Are you alright, Young-ae?"

"Y-Yeah…" He gulped, wiping the coffee on his head with a towel.

He had visited the cafeteria, bringing Ophis along just to show her how the place looked like. Unfortunately, one of the workers there was a clumsy one, and had accidentally spilled his cup of coffee on the boy, who yelped from the hot liquid that was sizzling on his head.

The lad himself was fine with it, accepting his swift apology. He could tell that he meant it, judging by how scared he looked.

And yet, his mother seemed unconvinced, adopting the scariest look he's ever seen whenever someone did something wrong to him, and, well… You know what happened. It's at the top.

"So, as I said before, the cafeteria's got good food too. So, if you'd like, I could get one for you to try," he explained, wiping his neck next. Thank God that he had brought a towel with him.

"Mmm… No," her answer was to be expected. "I'll only eat, your food, Young-ae."

"Haa… Fine," he sighed, though happy that she said that. He'll just have to try to work hard to live up to her expectations, even if she wouldn't force him in the first place. "So, I've got nothing much to do. Do you want to do anything, mother?"

"I, want to see you fight," she answered, earning a sweat-drop from the boy.

"S-Sure. Anything you'd like, mother…" He answered with a shaky smile. In truth, his body was still painful, but he managed to hide it from her. Sure, she was deceptive at times, but he was the best at hiding stuff.

Plus, his mother asked him for it. Like heck he would say 'no'.

It was a bit of a walk, but it didn't take too long. Upon arriving at their destination, he took a look around him.

It was extremely spacious, possible a good acre—to house the best fights ever. No true grass, with just dirt and sand to make up this large space. At the sides were some 'staircases' that acted as the seating, for any spectators or the people to just sit around and take a break.

The people currently training didn't look to be on a level with him. Sure, there were the rookies, but he felt that it would be unfair to them if he were to actually fight them.

In fact, forget fighting them! They'd be dead from just one move!

That was just how he was. He utilised his 'kagune' and ability to fight like a normal human against his enemies, constantly changing his strategies so that they could never get a hit on the way he would be fighting next. Keep them off their feet, and claim the victory.

Easy as that.

"Young-ae!" Ears perking up caused him to turn around, seeing Kuroka running at him, wearing the usual kimono and mischievous smile as always. "Oh, and Ophis-sama! What are you doing here, nya?"

"Mother wanted to see me training, so we came here. But, as you can see," he gestured to the field, looking sheepish. "There's no one that I feel comfortable facing off against. I mean, if I try to fight them, I'm worried that I may go overboard…"

"Are you sure that you don't usually do that?" The Nekoshou giggled, though a small part of her couldn't help but fear the dreadful surprise move he weld that day against Valeria. That really surprised all of them. "In any case, how about I be your sparring partner? That way, you'd still get to show off in front of Ophis-sama, nya."

"Wha—Hey! It's not showing off! I'm probably gonna' get owned by you anyways," he nervously turned away from her, unable to look her in the eye. His count of loss to hers was a 3-7, much to his chagrin.

"Oh, don't be such a baby! You'll probably win since she's watching you right now!" Her cheshire-like grin grew even more now, teasing, making the boy click his tongue in chagrin.

"Not funny," he muttered. Being the end of someone's teasing really felt strange, but he supposed it was just because he had never experienced it before. "In any case, are you sure you don't mind? You don't have anything else to do right now?"

"Nope! I'm really free right now," her reply was enough to attract attention from the others, with murmurs of their interest.

"Well, okay, I suppose," he hummed. "Mother, take a seat."

"Okay," she nodded, walking off to the sitting area.

Noticing her leave, he decided to get to the centre of the field as she followed after him, skipping.

This was really bad. As far as he knows, with their previous battles, she was always faster than him by even a bit. To outrun her would be extremely difficult, but the true challenge lies in the fact that she could use her 'senjutsu' in ways that would undoubtedly leave him ultimately wrecked.

However, his mother wanted to see him in action, so he was going to face the black Nekoshou, even if it ultimately ends with him losing.

Screw the embarrassment! For his mother!

Once they took their positions, each had themselves in their own battle stances; Kuroka looking as if she was going to pounce on the boy, and Young-ae keeping himself close to the ground, spreading his legs wide apart like some form of carnivore. Fitting for one such as he, a half-ghoul.

He didn't know how, but the area soon started filling with people, watching the battle in immense curiosity, with the Ouroboros Dragon

The crowd only grew, and so too did the tension between the two competitors, although they hadn't even made a move at all. All they really did, was stare into each other's orbs, showing a fanged grin as they readied themselves even further, physically and mentally.

Well, this was going to be fun.

As if wanting to play even a little role in this, some random person took a whistle from his pocket, before blowing it strongly.

*Fwheee!*

And then, the battle commenced!

"Hraargh!" The half-ghoul let out a blood-curdling scream, his 'kagune' protruded from his back, snapping into the shape of the usual tentacles, with what looked to be veins and arteries popping out of the surface.

Not wasting a minute, he leapt into the air, diving towards her. Though he was quick, his attempt to strike her failed as she dodged him by a hair's length.

"That sort of tactic won't help you always help you, you know!" Her teasing was distracting him, allowing her just enough time to conjure an energy ball before she shot it in his way.

Acting on reflexes alone, he raised his 'kagune', blocking the simple-looking attack that managed to send him a few feet away—thought in such a short time, she managed to charge it up really strong. Coming to a stop, he sidestepped the barrage of energy spheres, rushing towards his opponent with his fist raised.

In his times doing missions with his team, there were also the times when he had free time. It was during these times that he went out to go look for fresh meat, either man or ghoul. He was the best hunter there was. And of course, it was because of this that he was confident in his next attack.

*Prrrh!*

"Hah!" Clenching the ground with his hand that the lass thought he was going to use to hit her, it turned out to be a feint.

His 'kagune' underwent a drastic shift once more, taking form of a two large maws with a tongue of its own, fresh red and bloodily scary.

With a will controlled by his own, Young-ae commanded the large maws to rush towards her, chomping down hard. She dodged it as well, ever the agile witch she is, yet she now possessed a look of clear-cut fear.

"What the heck is that?!" Kuroka screamed out, not expecting something like this at all.

He never used this at all before. The element of surprise was working its magic extremely well right now.

Not saying anything in response, he only jetted forwards, looking like a blur save for the 'kagune' that trailed after him. He leapt once more, slamming the enormous 'head' against the ground, causing the area to shake. Even so, it didn't get the Nekoshou to stagger, much less so to fall. Clicking his tongue in chagrin, he shifted the maws into his previous mutated spider-legs, the eyes bulging wide and staring into their supposed prey.

Landing, he dug his feet slightly into the earth as he extended the length of these already long limbs, swiping the battlefield. Despite the reach, the black Nekoshou managed to stay away, playing evasive. There was no way she was going to be touched by those.

'Tch. Come on…' He mentally chided himself for this, extending them even further and launching them like javelins, going forwards and following a straight line.

Harnessing the power of 'Senjutsu' in her, she enhanced her defensive capabilities, blocking the attack with just her arms. The blade-like limbs slashed against her repeatedly, leaving red slits across her skin and otherwise marring her kimono beyond mending.

Luckily, it could be mended. Young-ae was surprisingly good with a needle and thread, something no one could have ever thought of.

Hissing as the blades began to cut deeper in, she jumped out of the way, blasting the limbs with an energy blast. However, they were surprisingly reactive, immediately retracting out of her attack, missing the blue explosion that came with it.

With a carnivorous growl, he poured all his strength into the limbs, thrusting them forth like pistons fed redstone. They flew towards her like a parade, giving her no time to jump, forcing her to a defensive stance.

*Krroaaa!*

The eyed-blades, however, shifted into the tentacles once more, tackling her back with enough force to force air and spit out of her, sending her back away as she skidded against the ground, barely able to get up.

'I called it… Got strong just because Ophis-sama is here…' Kuroka managed a chuckle for herself, still not deciding to give up. Getting up on both her feet, she was ready to make a move—

"This battle is over!" Every heads there turned to the source of the voice, only to realise that it belonged to the Lucifer's descendant, Valeria, who stood close to the spectator's area wearing a white V-neck tee with blue trousers.

Walking towards the lad, she almost fell backwards when the Ouroboros dragon suddenly stood in front of her, blocking her away.

"You are not hurting Young-ae," it sounded as threatening as any young girl could muster, but the fierce determination in her eyes proved it well. It would have spooked Valeria, had she not seen enough people already getting that.

"No. I merely want to speak to them," she reassured the dragoness, who relaxed slightly, giving her enough time to walk past her and towards her teammates.

Young-ae, worrying a bit, got to his sparring buddy's side, softly hoisting her up by the shoulder. She sported a bruised lower lip.

"You're pretty strong, nya…" She teased, eliciting a sigh from the boy.

"Even when you're beaten up and stuff, you can still make a remark like that…" He rolled his eyes, body stiffening when their leader finally reached them, a stern look on her face. She didn't look amused whatsoever. "I was just training with Kuroka, Valeria."

"You sure about that? You looked to be hungry," she spoke in a low tone.

"I assure you, it's nothing of the sort," he shook his head, knowing that she didn't truly mean that. There was a slight hesitation in her words. "So, whatcha' here for?"

"Yeah, well…" Valeria finally relented, giving in with a sigh. She averted her gaze away from the two, crossing her arms from the two. "I thought you were going to spar with me…"

'Ohh…' Both Nekoshou and half-ghoul shared a moment of understanding, a mental connection, even if they didn't truly realise it.

Yeah, the Lucifer really likes fighting. If it wasn't for her fetish for butts—something that was extremely strange, told to him by the Nekoshou, much to the female Pendragon's utter disbelief—or her hatred for her grandfather, then she was known for being a battle maniac.

"Ceh. Well, I didn't see you anywhere. Mother wanted to see me training, but the only other person there was here was Kuroka herself," he tilted his head towards the girl he was helping to stand. "In any case, can you go get her to the infirmary, or wherever there is? It's obvious that she needs help."

"Yeah, got it," the young Lucifer made a nod, taking the Nekoshou away to get treated.

As he waved at them, it had became someone else's turn to stand beside him. And as he reared his head to the side—

"Whaa!" He jumped back, blinking at the smiling face of his childhood friend—it was the only way he could consider calling Shiro. "S-Shiro? When and what are you doing here?"

"Shiro was watching Young-ae fight Kuroka from top of stairs, and Young-ae was awesome!" She chirped, eliciting a nervous, yet happy chuckle from the lad.

"W-Well, what can I say? I was just lucky back there," he coughed into his fist, perking up when something got ahold of his leg. Looking down, he wasn't all that surprised to see his mother. "Mother, what are you doing?"

"Young-ae, you, will spend the day with me, remember?" Her reminder coming to hit him in the face, he 'Ohh-ed' in understanding.

"Yeah, of course, but…" Slowly, his eyes tilted to the side, the sight of his smiling friend in the corner of his vision. He leaned in to speak to his mother alone. "Can we have Shiro tag along?"

"And why's that?" She asked, almost sounding threatening.

"Well, you know what they say. The more the merrier," he offered, smiling easily.

"Yeah, yeah! The more, the merrier!" The girl agreed with an extremely fast nod, ever as exuberant as she ever is, oblivious to the glare that came from her friend's mother, which slowly softened as the seconds passed.

"…Fine. She, will come," the dragoness mumbled, somewhat disliking it. It would have been better to just take a walk with him alone, to be honest, but she supposed anything for her son.

"Yay! Shiro gets to hang out with Young-ae and Ophis!" The girl cheered as she jumped.

* * *

Ku **o** h Town

While Young-ae fully knew that stepping into the Gremory's territory was a violation to the shaky peace between the three factions, he supposed it was fine, considering that he was none of them.

They took a magic circle here, constructed by his mother, who eyed the area curiously. Surely, she must have been outside of the shrine before, right?

"Is this your first time being here?" He asked, curious.

"Yes," she nodded. "This, is new to me."

Well, looks like he was wrong.

"Same here then. I've never left the shrine at all, and I don't remember coming across here during my little journey," he snickered at the word 'little'. Two thousand miles was anything but little. "Shiro, have you come here before?"

"Mmm, no. Shiro's never come here before," the albino girl answered, perking up as the wind picked up, carrying leaves and dust as they flew past the group of three. "Whee!"

It was a quiet town. Standing atop this hill, slightly overlooking the town, there were no signs of heavy pollution. What he could see were a large group of young people—possibly in his age range—wearing similarly-coloured clothes and entering this large building with fields, lots of buildings, and _more people_.

"What is that?" The boy asked as he pointed at the site, somewhat intrigued. He hadn't heard of such a thing before.

"It, is a school," she answered him, coolly.

"A school, you say? You mean that sort of place where… _students_ go to to learn?" There was a sense of surprise in his words. He remembered having read up on it, but never knew that he was actually looking at one. "Huh. Well, that's something."

"Come on, Ophis, Young-ae! Shiro wants to see down below too!" The girl urged both of them, tugging them at their hands.

"Yeah, yeah. Coming," he rolled his eyes, following after her.

Unbeknownst to the three, someone was watching them. Powdery silver hair, cut short, as the person hid behind a wall.

Whoever it was was not there for long, disappearing from the scene just as quick as she got there.

* * *

K **u** oh Aca **d** em **y**

'The heck was Shiro thinking?!' The lad gulped, sweating bullets on the exterior.

To be honest, the lad had thought that they were just going to take a stroll around town, get a good look at the area. Sure, it would be pretty weird to see some guy walking around with a little girl in gothic-lolita outfit, and another girl in a white jumpsuit, but he'd like to think that anything goes nowadays.

However, her curiosity towards the school soon had her pulling both mother and son to the area, only to be met with curious stares and excited murmurs.

Being a half-ghoul had its perks. It meant that he could hear things much better than usual, as they reached his ears quicker than anything else. Loud, too. And as such, it made perfect sense that he was nervous.

'Wow! Who is that?'  
'I don't know! But he's so handsome!'  
'That girl with him is so cute~!'  
'And the other one's pretty too!'

"I swear…" He uttered under his breath, trying not to stare into any of their eyes. It felt like a thousand arrows were aimed for his back, and that was a bad simile to use per se.

"Wow! They're all wearing the same clothes!" The albino excitedly giggled as she looked at everyone. "Young-ae—"

"What clothes are there that you're gonna' wear anyways? You're mostly gonna' wear that suit you have," he gestured at her outfit, eliciting a pout from the girl.

"True…" She sighed, defeated.

"Young-ae," the lad looked down to meet his mother's gaze. "Look."

Following the direction of which her lithe finger pointed to, he found himself staring at a beautiful girl with long red hair, said trait being the only thing that distinguished her from every other girl in this academy. And it was hard to look away, taking into account her hourglass figure

Walking with her was a girl with short black hair cut in a bob style, wearing glasses and the same outfit. She wasn't truly gifted, but none could lie that she was honest-to-goodness good-looking. Young-ae whistled, noticing that they were really out of this world.

Both in a sense of beauty…

"Devils," his lips curled into a coy smile, watching as the two girls walk off into some building. "They must be the owners of the area, aren't they?"

"Indeed," his mother nodded.

"Well, if anything, I'd bet good coin that it's the redhead. The Lucifer's sister," he nodded to himself, thankful that he did a bit of research before this. "Okay, we've done some looking around now. Can we get back?"

"Ooh, ooh! I want an ice-cream!" The albino raised her hand in the air, looking excited. "Vanilla for Shiro, please!"

"Ice-cream? Mmm… Sure. I've got enough in my wallet to use," the boy returned her grin with his own, looking down to his mother. "And you, mother. What would you like?"

"Anything, that you think will, taste good," she answered, aimlessly looking around her. It was clear that she was bored now.

"Okay. Then let's get a move on," he nodded, walking away.

But as he made his way out of the school, leaving the area, eyes lingered on him, watching his movements. There was a slight hesitation, as if they wanted to pursue him, but ultimately decided against it.

* * *

Returning to headquarters, the boy and his mother parted ways with his childhood friend, before Young-ae and Ophis returned to their home, enjoying their time in the afternoon. While he would've enjoyed tasting the sweet delicacy, he knew better than to threaten his digestive system. Sure, being a half-ghoul meant that he wouldn't get to taste all the good stuff, but he supposed it meant that he'd be ridding the world of horrible people.

By eating them, of course.

Thankfully, they tasted just like chicken, though he would never really get the chance to compare them since he's never really consumed poultry.

Back home, he didn't really expect her to not ask him to cook dinner. And Nue—it took him forty seconds to remember that name after he made a slip-up and accidentally said 682—looked more than excited to eat his work.

It felt livelier ever since Nue joined the pair. Sure, it wasn't much, but it was still an improvement. Comparing it to just he and Ophis, though it was an extra person, he still looked at it from an optimistic view.

For one, an extra customer. Now, he'd be able to get the opinion of more than just one person on his dish. It was important for him, he thought. Two, more people to protect. He promised himself that he'd protect his loved ones, and this only bolstered his determination.

And when they turned in for the night, he took a peek into his mother's room. He smiled, watching her peaceful figure as the creature laid just beside her, snoring peacefully.

'God… You hate me, I get it, but please don't take this away from me…' He hated life. But now, he knew why he had to keep moving forwards.

He returned to his own room afterwards.

* * *

Two Days Later—Kh **a** os Briga **d** e Ba **s** e

Too early in the morning, the Korean-Japanaese halfbreed noticed, but he didn't really care. Right now, all he wanted was to just get to whatever work early, and maybe reap some rewards from whatever whatever later on.

That's just how life was, right? The early worm gets the bird. Wait, no! The early bird gets the worm. Right.

"Call me now, call me later… Or call me whenever," he sang to himself, stopping dead in his tracks as he slapped himself in the face. "Where'd that come from..?"

He didn't really remember himself listening to such a song. But it actually sounded nice. Where did he even—

"Young-ae," he looked up from his moment of reverie, looking at Cao Cao, who had a smile. "What are you doing here? You're not with your teammates?"

"That's the thing. I don't know where they are," he sighed in response, scratching the back of his head. "Are they busy or something?"

"Well... Yes. Today's the day," he responded casually.

"Wait, today?" His question was responded with a nod. He took a bit of time to actually understand what he was trying to say, before he finally gasped. "Ahh… F**k, I forgot."

"Don't worry, your team hasn't moved out yet. They're waiting for you at the cafeteria. Once you're prepared and all, I'd like you to get moving," he explained.

"Got it," the younger male nodded his head, making his way to where his team was.

And true to the human's words, they were exactly at the cafeteria, looking bored as they waited for him. Only when he made his presence known did their expressions change; most particular being annoyance from Kuroka and Valeria, whilst the others looked thankful that he was already here.

The young Lucifer looked like she was going to kill him, so he raised his arms in defence.

"I forgot," he answered simply, not even trying to lie. That was just how he was, he supposed. "I was busy with stuff."

"Yeah? Like what?" She asked in a threatening tone, the gauntlets she wore around her arm looking brand new. She probably just picked it up from wherever.

"I had to deal with my mother," the lad's expression softened, remembering the sight from two nights prior. "And other stuff, to be honest."

"Damn it, Young-ae. We've been waiting for you for so long! We were supposed to go an hour ago!" Kuroka jumped forwards, pouting visibly.

"Like I said, I'm sorry. I forgot that today was the day," he sighed in defeat. "In any case, shouldn't we get going already? Chide me all you want, but it won't get the job done."

"I agree with Young-ae fully," Arthur nodded, the others joining in with their own. "We should get a move on if we wish to get this over with. I for one wish to get home as quick as possible so we could do other things. There was an interesting book I had picked up, and I wish to return to it quickly."

"Pfft, you and your books," Bikou laughed. "But yeah, I agree as well. I'm itching to kick some ass and get some sleep."

"Tch… Fine," their leader clicked her tongue in annoyance, snapping her head away from the boy's gaze, she walked ahead, with the Nekoshou right beside her.

"Jeez, I already apologised. What else do they want?" He huffed, unable to believe that he was being treated this way.

"Please forgive them, Young-ae. They, ahh… They've been here the earliest and were rather excited for the mission," Le Fay arrived beside him, adopting a sympathetic look.

"Haaa… Nah, it's cool. It's technically my fault, since I did forget," he wanted to just forgive and forget. But due to childhood traumas, it's been hard for him to forgive, and even more to forget. But right now, there was no one to forgive since this was just a silly little thing.

The whole group together once more, with Young-ae and the others needing to join up with the 'big sisters' of the group—that's what Bikou called them at least, they took a magic circle away to their destination.

* * *

Ku **o** h Tow **n**

They arrived at the abandoned church at the hillside, noticing the poor state it was in. It was like any other church, albeit possessing a more broken condition. Inside, the pews looked to be broken, and the once-was beautiful dyes over the glass seemed to have lost their vibrance. The garden around them seemed to have wilted and died, as if it weeped for the destruction of the church's beauty.

Around them was just a dense forest. Not dense that the church itself would not be seen, but enough that people could get lost in were they to accidentally step foot into it.

Young-ae pulled out a roll of a parchment, unrolling it to look at it. It was a picture of this Kokabiel person, drawn by him based on the descriptions he's got from Cao Cao yesterday. He himself was surprised at how accurate it was, missing the pointy ears, though.

In any case, being here, none of them were truly feeling calm. There was the chance that they could be attacked, so they stuck to a wary stance. Even the half-ghoul could feel his muscles being stiff.

However, knowing that just acting careful outside of the church would arouse suspicion in the residents of this broken building, so he did the worst thing a spy—he scoffed at the thought, thinking himself to be a messenger in this instance—could possibly do.

He walked up to the door of the church, giving strong raps on the stone.

*Knock! Knock!*

"Hello! Anyone there?" He called out, missing the dreadful looks from his teammates, counting out Shiro, who seemed more focused on being sneaky than anything else. "Delivery!"

"Young-ae..! What are you doing..?!" Valeria half-whispered half-screamed, not believing that this was happening. No one walks up to anyone's door and just knocks them, especially if they were a potential enemy! Sure, Cao Cao's working together with them, but there was the possibility! "Get back here..!"

"Oi! Delivery!" The half-ghoul ignored his leader's orders, giving another set of slams. "If no one's coming out, I'm leaving! One! Two—"

*Creak!*

"What ?!" A woman shouted, surprising him as he jumped slightly backwards. But who he was looking at was enough to drowse his shock.

A black-haired woman with purple orbs and pretty assets showed up, wearing a black leather suit that leaved more than just her stomach bare. The skin of her legs were clear to the naked eye, glistening from the light that bounced off of it. It was made even more hard to look away when her breasts were hardly covered by the bodysuit, leaving an ample amount being left out.

To the normal people, they would question what sort of things this church practices. To Young-ae however, he couldn't deny the fact that fallen angels were indeed lecherous creatures.

"Sup'," he waved simply, blinking at her fuming.

"What the hell do you want?" She didn't bother with pleasantries. The knockings must have really gotten her on her last nerve.

"I just want to meet this guy," he answered as he held up the drawing, displaying a picture of a man with long hair, a wicked grin and pale skin.

She took the parchment from him in a click of a second, not giving him enough time to even blink as she looked at the details. She took a second to admire the well-made work, and a bit of time to fully understand who she was looking at.

After a few more seconds, she returned it to him.

"Why the hell do you want to see him of all people?" The fallen angel asked, crossing her arms under her bountiful assets.

"As I said before. Delivery," the lad answered with an amused look, not at all backing down. "A delivery between us both, I suppose."

"…" It took her a moment to understand what he said, before she leaned in, whispering. "Are you from Khaos Brigade..?"

"Bingo," he nodded, feeling her hair brush against his ear as she moved away from him, leaving a tingling sensation there. It was ticklish.

"Hmph… Fine," she looked behind him, as if she had all the pieces put together already. "You came here alone?"

"Nope. My team are hiding behind that tree over there," he gestured his thumb behind him, sensing the way they all jumped in shock. It was pretty funny, actually. "So yeah, I'll be making myself comfortable inside."

Stepping into the church, the inside didn't look any better than the outside. As expected, the benches had all been obliterated, and most pews looked ready to just tumble and break into a million pieces.

Had there been some way for him to expect such a pleasant view? Perhaps not. How the outside looked could also reflect what the interior was like as well.

He landed himself on a fragile bench, knowing that it would be stupid to just sit on the ground. He would have taken to sitting on one of those pews, but how unstable they looked made him unsure.

After a bit more time waiting, only then did the fallen angel from earlier return, his group with her this time. Everyone sans his childhood friend had a look of surprise, possibly at how well things went.

"So, tell me. You said delivery, but I don't see you having anything on you," she spoke up, suspicious of this ragtag group.

"You're right. But when I said delivery, I never specified that _we_ were here to deliver something," Young-ae let out a snicker, relishing in the look of surprise the woman had on her face. "In fact, it's the reverse here. Kokabiel's the one that has something to give us."

"Hmph. You say so, but how can I be sure that you're not lying?" She asked back, threateningly.

*Khh!*

"Because…" And his kagune now produced, he looked at her dead in the eye forcing her to flinch. His left eye turning full black, producing the lone red pupil as he stared into her soul, no smile now. "We came here by Cao Cao's orders, and what he says, he hasn't lied yet. Your boss has something that he wants, and we're here to pick it up. So, where is he?"

"Right here," a man's voice called out from behind a cracking pillar, before he made himself present.

Just as Young-ae's drawing entailed, he had long black hair that snaked down well below his neck. With pointy ears, a detail he missed, and wearing a black robe with accessories on it. His smile was there as well, just as the boy had expected.

"So, you must be Cao Cao's 'best of the best'," he drawled on the title, as if it were some poor joke, putting away his kagune. "And I expect that you're here to take what he wants?"

"Yup. We intend to accomplish our mission, and if getting this parcel is our mission, then we're going to get it," the boy made a nod, before his eyes leered at the man before him, his kagune twirling delicately around him. "Then again, Cao Cao never said that we can't kill you. So if you're going to make things hard for us, I'm not one to hold back. Trust me on that."

"Ho? So you'd be willing to fight me?" He mocked, his grin only widening.

"Young-ae? No offence, but this seems like a bad idea," Bikou gulped from behind his friend. Though he too was a battle maniac, fighting Kokabiel was something he was hoping to avoid. The fallen angel was incredibly powerful, he heard.

"I don't mind going back dead, but as long as the parcel gets delivered, then mission accomplished," and now he was standing directly in front of the older being, teeth bared as he displayed his carnivorous side.

Both half-ghoul and fallen cadre stared each other down, their deadly smiles that could kill any terrified children not dying at all. Everyone else watched with heightened trepidation, fully expecting that this church would soon turn into a battlefield that would soil anyone's pants.

Valeria herself was afraid of what could happen. She would have loved if this could have gone smoothly, but things look as if Young-ae was going to screw it all up now. She was afraid of the consequences of when she and the others get back.

And yet, the unexpected happened again. Instead of a deadly battle—

"Ha ha ha!" The fallen cadre suddenly started laughing. Like, laughing laughing. Bellowing as loudly as he could, his voice ringing in the church as his smile widened to let out as much of his voice as he possibly could.

"Shishishi..!" The half-ghoul dropped his ferocious glare, snickering as his kagune returned into him. He was looking much saner than the other being, but none could deny that he looked as if he enjoyed what had just transpired.

Everyone else just looked shocked. Just earlier, they bore witness to what could have been such a doorstep to war, now replaced with just the sight of two people laughing, as if they had just been told a joke that both found themselves understanding and enjoying.

After a while, their laughter died down, but none of the others could still comprehend what had just gone down.

"Well, that's a good laugh since a while. You've got guts, kid," Kokabiel grinned lightly now, eliciting a gasp from the other fallen angel. Seems like this sort of sight was rare, even to her.

"Yeah, well, I hate wearing a mask, especially in the presence of power. Just being yourself has others trusting you faster than you being the 'fake' you," the younger boy shrugged, smiling back. "So hey, parcel."

"Of course. I expect you to wait," and he took his leave, travelling down a set of stairs.

"And I expect you to give us what we want," he hollered after the cadre, before turning to look at his friends, all of whom shared a look of bewilderment. "See? Nothing went wrong."

"I-I-It's just unfathomable… None of us had truly expected it to go so well," Arthur breathed out, looking as if he's seen a miracle, just as everyone else.

"Oh, come on… Have a bit of faith in me," he groaned, his previous joy deflating slightly. "In any case, now that the missions' well and done, how about a little look around?"

"Ooh! Shiro wants to look around!" The girl chirped, excited as always until their leader spoke up

"Let's not. This is Gremory territory after all. The littlest of mistakes here, and the Lucifer will be after our tails," Valeria shuddered at the thought, noticing the albino deflate slightly.

"Oh, what's the problem? As long as we don't do anything stupid, things should be fine," as laid-back as he always is. Everyone besides his childhood friend sweat-dropped at his attitude.

"Oi, kid," everyone turned to the source of the voice, seeing Kokabiel return with a little box, handing it to the half-ghoul. "What are you?"

"A half-ghoul, a product of a man and a ghoul, which is a creature that eats man," he shrugged easily, not bothering to explain further. "So, mind spoiling to us what's inside this thing?"

"Hah, as if I'm that nice. You want to know what Cao Cao wanted? Go see him open this thing himself," he shot forth a dirty look, trying to sound smug.

"Hmph. Dirty play, but not bad," the two shared another moment of laughter, but deeper and evil-sounding now. Everyone else couldn't help but feel worried.

Once that whole ordeal was done and over, they made an immediate return to headquarters. And though it took a whole two minutes to just get Shiro to go back with them, seeing that she really wanted to go around the place, her friend promising her to come here with her next time certainly did the trick.

* * *

Khao **s** B **r** igade **B** ase

"Good! I have been waiting for this for some time now!" The man chuckled as he took the box from Young-ae's hands, looking overjoyed.

Le Fay watched on with slight interest, noticing that look on the man's face. It was as if he was expecting something extremely good to happen, but none of them really knew what. It didn't help that the box didn't have a label of some kind, so it was literally just a box. She supposed it would be fair to wait.

"So, mind telling us what's so important about the box that you had to ask Kokabiel, some fallen cadre, to get it?" He asked in everyone's stead.

While they would have not minded tearing the packaging apart and taking a sneak peek themselves, they knew that Cao Cao would have been absolutely mad, and would probably put them on a horrible punishment. As such, they stayed their hands.

Plus, it wasn't like they had to walk all the way back. Le Fay, being the best spell caster there was, started up the magic circle as usual. Basically, the supposed trip back was cut short by an unbelievable large amount of time, so yeah.

The quicker they got back, the quicker they'd get to see whatever he has in his hand right now.

"Well, everyone, since you've managed to actually get what I needed this time, and not peek into it without permission," everyone's anticipation only grew from then on, matched by their leader's chuckle. "Well, this is it."

As he pulled out the object, all eyes widened to the point where everything spoke of this single moment. This was it! The moment they were all waiting for! The time to unbox this mystery, of which their leader had ordered them to obtain!

And when the object was brought out of its box, gasps filled the room.

It was..! It was!

"What. The. Actual. F**k," he blinked, unsure of what to really say.

What rested on the man's hand was a cylinder of blood. A good for nothing container, filled to the brim with just blood.  
Red, liquid.

That was it. Not some very exciting stuff there.

"Huuuh?! That's it?!" Kuroka almost bashed her head against the wall in pure frustration, but managed to hold herself back from doing so.

"I… must admit, I am rather disappointed that the object you so wanted from Kokabiel was just… this. It somewhat kills the anticipation, I must admit," the bespectacled lad sighed, tilting his glasses up.

"Now now, I know that it looks rather dull, but trust me that this is indeed important," the man shook his head in reassurance. "In fact, I've had this ordered just for you, Young-ae."

"For me?" His eyebrow cocked upwards in surprise.

"Indeed. See, just as you have told us before, if we wanted to know more about your kind, we would have to do research on you on our own. And that is exactly what I did," he smiled, holding up the cylinder. "This cylinder possesses the blood of a ghoul with a different type of kagune, unlike you."

"Wait, there's different types?" Valeria looked curious.

"Yup. My kagune is a 'rinkaku', meaning my kagune would look like tentacles," and he shifted his weight onto the other foot. "Then there's the 'ukaku', wing-like kagune. 'Koukaku' ones look like blades from the shoulder to the arm. The last one is the 'bikaku', a tail."

"Hmm… By converting them to Japanese kanji, and returning them to an English translation, each of them seem to have a strange specification," Arthur brought up. "Scale, feather, shell and tail. That actually makes sense."

"Yup. And it also mentions 'red', since the RC cells that make up our kagune look like blood," the half-ghoul shrugged. "In any case, whatcha' want?"

"I made a recent discovery that lead to me requesting Kokabiel of this blood," his smile softened. "You're special."

"No I'm not," his answer came almost instantly, earning everyone's attention. "Well, you see… Uhh…"

It was something he discovered after eating his first ghoul victim back before he met Ophis. Each time he ate one of them, he would gain their kagune, albeit for a short while. It was from there that he realised that what ghoul he consumed, he would inherit their kagune.

The ones he have currently, the eyed-spider legs and maws, were products of the latest ghouls he's consumed. Or, more accurately, he's met ghouls that all shared these kagune. Overconsumption of these kagune-type ghouls ensured that his genes adapted to these foreign data, allowing him the ability to wield the kagune.

As of currently, those two kagune only belonged in the 'rinkaku' class, just as he was—the maws was strange, but he decided not to comment on that.

"Indeed. Apparently, every ghoul is only capable of possessing one type of kagune. And yet, you seem to be able to produce an entirely different one," the leader circled the lad, walking with a confident stride. "It seems that your system has some sort of… RC abnormality, allowing you take in all types of kagune besides just your own."

"…You're wrong," the lad sighed, hoping his counterargument would win. "The current kagunes I have are only a varying version of the 'rinkaku' I have been born with."

"You're right about that. And that is exactly why," he held up the container with both index and middle, shaking it slightly in front of the lad. "We are going to awaken your blood. Your _true strength_."


	7. Chapter 6

"I really like you!" - Speech

'Too much, huh?' - Thoughts

 **"Put him out…"** \- Inhuman Speech

 **'Pray to God.'** \- Inhuman Thoughts

" _And just like that…_ " - Flashback / Emphasis

*Brr!* *Smack!*- Sound effects

* * *

\Chapter 6: **D** yi **n** g A **g** ain\

In a chance to gain power, man would ultimately reach out without so much of a trace of hesitation, aiming to stand on par with all the great men in the world.

It is without a doubt that a trait of man is as such, whereby they pursue the opportunity to grow stronger. To reach wealth, fame and power, they would do anything, no matter what it takes.

In this case, Cao Cao offering him the chance to grow stronger through the injection of this strange blood into his system would surely help him very much, allowing him to develop kagune's of the other classes, seeing that his blood seems to be able to 'adapt' and evolve.

When Valeria heard her commander's words, she couldn't help but sigh in relief. She was worried at first as to what they were going to do with the kid, but it seems that it was just a helping offer.

But Young-ae, however…

"No thank you," everyone looked at him with surprised gazes, his answer so immediate that it even got the blue-haired man to blink at him in curiosity.

"What do you mean? This thing is your ticket to power. Don't you want it?" He was a very suggestive man—he'd like to think of it as part of his charms—but it seems that the teenage half-ghoul was being stubborn.

"No, no no no. I don't want that," he took a step away, pointing a finger at the cylinder. "Anywhere near me. No thanks."

"Oh, come now, it won't hurt. It's only a small procedure," laughed the man as he took a step forwards—

*Phsh!* *Crash!*

"Whoa!" Everyone jumped when the lad's kagune ultimately protruded from his back, stabbing at the place where Cao Cao once was, with said person having taken a jump backwards to evade such an attack.

Young-ae, as he watched his commander walk towards him… saw them.

The gloves. The syringes. The pain. The blood packets. The masks. The scent of naphthalene. The stains of blood on the floor. Dead things. Things in jars. Boxes. Men. Doctors. Guards. Batons. Glass. Shards. Death. Suffocation. Room. Bed. Tight. Loneliness. Suicide. Blade. Bathroom. Paper. Cackle—

"HHUHAHAA!" He was suddenly on both his knees, screaming as his hands dug deep into his hair, clenching a handful of strands as he tried to stop the painful screaming that suddenly rung in his head, slamming into him like a ton of trucks.

"Young-ae!" Concerned, Shiro rushed over to her childhood friend, holding him by the shoulders and shaking him. "Young-ae!"

"HYAHHH!" His eyes bloodshot, his own kakugan having formed after the kagune shot out. His body trembled, mind actively swimming in desperation to rid itself of the images that pulsed through his memories.

"N-No! Shiro can't wake him up!" The albino girl tried to get him to stand, but him screaming to himself wasn't helping anyo—

"Get back!"  
"Huh?"

*Ching!*

"Hkh..!" Arthur rushed forth to push Shiro out of an incoming limb, seemingly belonging to Young-ae's kagune, which was currently striking every piece of area it could touch. He managed to jump back from the next attack, getting back to the group.

"Arthur nii, are you alright?" Worriedly asked his sister as she worked through his wounds with her healing magic.

"It's fine…" All but hissed the spectacled man, who was clearly trying to say otherwise.

"Damn it, we need to knock him out or something…" Valeria clicked her tongue, activating [Divine Dividing]. "Bikou, help me out!"

"You got it!" The monkey Youkai nodded, putting on a ready face.

She charged the screaming half-ghoul, the sheer pressure of the flailing limbs of his causing light tremors to overtake the room. She barely dodged one before it slammed into her face, before making a light leap into the air and slamming her fist down into his face, with Bikou promptly tackling him to the ground and stopping him from moving.

"G-Get off me! LET ME GO!" He wailed, sounding so unlike the usual self of his. His body thrashed here and there in a desperate attempt to free himself from his binds.

"Now, Valeria!" Bikou shouted, and the silver-haired lass threw a strong punch at the back of the lad's head—

*Bam!*

The force behind it not enough to actually kill him, but controlled enough to knock him out cold.

Letting go of him, the monkey Youkai lifted his friend into his arms, huffing a bit as to how heavy he was. He stared at his friends, sighing in relief after Arthur got treated.

"Well… Isn't that something?" Chuckled Cao Cao, just about ready to approach the unconscious teenager until Ophis stepped in front of him.

"Leave him alone, Cao Cao," she demanded, possessing a tone far more serious than usual. Judging by how her grey eyes had narrowed, let alone the power manifesting into her hands, clearly indicated just how serious she was.

"Fine, fine. I'll let him be," he raised his arms in defense. "But I implore you to talk it out with him, perhaps? This is quite rare, and will certainly—"

"Young-ae has made the choice not to. No, means no," she retorted, with everyone knowing just how mad she is due to the absence of pauses in her words.

And then everyone got back home, with Ophis having to transport her son back home through a magic circle.

* * *

It had been an entire day, much so that the sun had long dipped past the horizon, before Young-ae finally came to his senses, waking up with a massive headache.

"…Damn it…" He groaned, clutching his chest. His heart had stopped beating so fast, but the painful memories still resonated in his mind. Thankfully, it had stopped for now.

"Young-ae?" He sat up on the futon, noticing his mother, who had a worried look marring her features. "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah, I think so…" He nodded, though his tone suggested that he was unsure. Nue appeared from around the corner, whining as she looked at him. "Hey, Nue… Sorry for worrying you."

*Krhgh…*

It let out a cross between a whimper and a snarl, though it certainly seemed to be worried for him.

Damn, was he actually getting used to her being around? Guess so. If not, he'd be screaming for his life by now.

"So… what happened?" He finally asked after some time, staring at his hand as he clenched and unclenched it. "Did I kill anyone?"

"You, went rogue. You accidentally, harmed Arthur, but he has been treated," she sounded calmer now, but the frown was not displaced. "Valeria, knocked you out."

"…A good choice of action. I would have killed someone if she didn't," he sighed, scratching the back of his head with a regretful look. Seriously though, what if he did more damage than he could mend? No doubt, it would certainly spell out trouble, both for him and everyone else.

And maybe, just maybe, a piece of his mind whispered malignant possibilities in his mind. Of the fact that he may be contained, kept away so that he does not strike at anyone.

If worst comes to worst, subjugation would become a possibility as well.

He frowned at that, not wanting to die just yet. He had just reunited with Shiro and Nue, two childhood friends from his past. He still wanted to thank everyone else.

Lucy, Nemissa, SCP-173—and though the thing was damn creepy, it was still a factor to his being alive right now—and all others.

Funny, he thought. How, despite the many years that have passed, he still managed to remember the names of those he had briefly met, before they returned to the surface, forever separated from one another. It was sad, yes, but it was necessary.

Going together as a group would certainly spell out trouble for them all, as it would mean easier chances of getting caught by the government.

Experimentation… The single thing that popped up in his mind the moment Cao Cao briefly explained to him the procedures to his supposed 'awakening'.

They were going to sedate him, of course, and inject the blood into his body, allowing transfusion of the blood and mutation. This, in turn, allows him to develop basic kagune of the other classes.

And yet, the fear of having gone through such times caused him to lash out in fear, crying and screaming as he tried to get away from all the syringes and gloved hands.

"Young-ae," he blinked, having been brought out of his train of thoughts by his mother's voice. "You, should go to sleep."

"W-What? No, not yet…" The lad groaned as he stood on both his feet, with help from Nue to balance himself. "We haven't had dinner yet…"

"That, can wait for tomorrow. You, need rest," she said in response, shaking her head.

"…Fine," he sighed, ultimately defeated by his mother. He retreated back into his futon, slowly lying down to avoid himself from getting injured any further. Or, just to cause less strain on his aching muscles—possibly because his kagune was out of control earlier, putting pressure on his body. "Good night."

"Mmm," she nodded, leaving for her own room. She entrusted Nue to watch over him, and so the SCP did so, sleeping beside him that night, as she has every night.

* * *

Two Days Later

Ophis had gone out of her way to request a short time of leave from Cao Cao in her son's stead, stating her wish for him to recover first before he is to return to the missions.

While seemingly hesitant at first, the human ultimately relented when, knowingly, he had triggered an old fear in the younger man, causing him to go berserk in the first place—it was without doubt that she knew how to wield a solid fact against someone in a really harsh way.

Valeria and her team agreed to wait for him in the meantime, deciding to do missions that they were tasked to as they wait for their final member to heal.

And Young-ae…

"You seriously thought it was a good idea when I'm technically a half-ghoul, meaning that I have a pretty good regeneration factor, thus being able to heal in just one night?" The Korean-Japanase half-breed chuckled as he flipped pancakes into the air before sticking the landing, serving them on plates right after.

"It, is for your own good," his mother shot back.

"Okay, okay, I'm grateful, really. And yeah, I suppose I do need the extra time," he set the plate down on the table. "Nue, sit down. Your food will be ready in a minute."

*Ghyaa!*

It was a half an hour later, after their plates had been cleaned and stomachs filled, that his mother had finally spoken up, getting his attention.

"You should, go out," she said, getting a tilt of the head from her son.

"I'm not sure what 'go out' means," he said. "Yes, it means go out of the house, but for what?"

"To relax," she answered, coolly. "Your body, is still weak. Relaxing, will help the process, of healing."

"What? I don't want to leave the house for exactly that reason, then. I'd rather stay here," Young-ae was unsure where this came from, but he was certainly not going to leave the house any time soon.

"You will leave," she said, still intent on getting him to go. In her head, he deserved it, after all the hard work he's done.

"…You know, you never tell me to do something unless you have ulterior motives, mother. I can definitely say that without a doubt," he smirked her way, noticing the ever the slightest, the smallest twitch of her left eyebrow.

"I am not sure what you're talking about," and that was his second clue. She only spoke in full sentences without any pauses whenever she's feeling fluctuations of emotions. In the case last night, worry. Here, it was nervousness.

"You sure? I mean, I wouldn't mind listening to your request, _if_ you have any, that is," he snickered, cupping a hand around his ear.

"There is nothing. I merely want you to relax," she sighed once more, though a very distant part of her mind was begging her to ask him to buy her chocolates on the way home. Still, she'd rather not, so she remained strong. "Go."

"Well, you'd still need to—" His words were cut off as he felt the traces of magic in the room ebbing around him, forming a magic circle just beneath his feet. "Wait! You can't do thaaaa—"

*Poof!*

He disappeared, in a single flash of light.

Ophis sighed in relief, almost asking him to do all that.

It was one-hundred percent true, though. She does ask him to do something completely random whenever she has ulterior motives.

Too bad. This time, however, she would not be getting chocolates.

* * *

Ku **o** h Tow **n**

"…aat!" He finished, but already knew that it was too late.

He was, at this point, already standing on both feet, arm outstretched as he stared in front of him, slack-jawed and wide-eyed, getting weird looks from the people around him.

He lasted in that position for more than a minute before a frustrated scream left his lips, scratching away at his head.

For God's sake, she just had to pull the magic circle trick… So unfair!

"Whatever… I've nothing better to do than just stand around, so I might as well…" He groaned finally, interest immediately piqued at the sight close to the park. "Hmm?"

Jogging to where the park was, with all the green trees and stretch of grass, he was surprised to see some brown-haired guy, possibly the same age as he was, throwing fisticuffs—or the better description here is 'tried'—with some bigger guy, two other males—one bald and the other with glasses—standing behind the brunette.

Probably a gang fight? Then again, it could have been something entirely, judging by how they were wearing the student uniforms from Kuoh Academy.

But the single grunt that the brunette was trying to take on was definitely a biker. He had the motorcycle and everything.

Young-ae sighed, knowing that he had to help one party or the other. Or, better yet, he could just walk away and pretend to have never seen this—

"Damn it! I swear, I'll beat you today!" The brunette yelled, ducking low to dodge a right hook before miserably failing a jab of his own.

"Bah! I don't care! You and your damn girlfriend, you f**k! How the hell do you even do it?!" The biker spat, missing a throw of his fist.

"It's not my fault you're so scary you scare off every lady your way!" The boy retorted, jumping back in time to dodge a brutal kick.

So, this was just a jealousy sort of thing?

Young-ae hold back the urge to just sigh at the clearly stupid situation laid out before him. To think that humans were pretty petty with these sort of things… Are they seriously fighting over something as trivial as this?

Then again, if they were so vulnerable to the point where they would engage one another with war, all because of their twisted desires, then they clearly knew not of their own consequences, much less so their rights to be killing off one another.

Taking pity on the brunette—for some reason he didn't actually know—he decided to help him out.

Cracking his knuckles, he casually walked up to the bunch, taking notice of the spectacled kid and bald guy, who just noticed him. He ignored them, however, walking up to the grunt's back—

*Bam!*

And delivered a heel to the nape of the neck, a satisfying crack sound before he fell to the ground, knocked out cold.

The brunette was shocked at what he saw, screaming some form of curse—seriously, do every humans curse whenever they get scared?—before blinking at the realization that he and his mates just got saved.

"You know, you could have called the police or something," the newcomer sighed dramatically as he took a look at the grunt. "Don't worry, he'll live. An hour at most, give or take, and he'll be limping back home."

"Whoa… You just saved us!" The brunette gasped with stars in his eyes, rushing over to the other male and shaking his hand with as much vigour as he possessed. "Thank you!"

"Umm… sure," Young-ae blinked, slightly pushing away the stranger. "Look, you might wanna' get out of here before you get accused of knocking this guy out cold. A night in prison won't be good, I can expect."

"Hey! Let us treat you to lunch! Our treat!" Spoke the guy with spectacles, his two friends nodding.

"What? Uhh, no, I'm fine," he blinked.

"No way, man! You _have_ to let us treat you! You just saved our butts!" The bald one spoke, getting quite the nods of agreement from the other two.

"…Well, if you say so?" He seriously didn't know what was coming at him.

* * *

*Sssp…*

Young-ae sipped from his colourful straw, enjoying the punch of this strange beverage—coke, as he had heard. It was certainly 'fizzy' as Issei—the brunette as he introduced himself earlier—described it to be.

To be honest, he should have not even be remotely capable of drinking such a thing, due to his biology. And yet, here he was, enjoying his beverage like it was a miracle. Although, he did of course avoid the burgers and fries, stating that he was not hungry.

...He'd need to get himself checked someday.

Then there was Matsuda and Motohama, both of whom were currently looking at pictures of random models, drooling.

Their lunch session was not too long, but he had gotten to know quite a bit about these three. Particularly, they're quite well-known to be perverts, openly embracing the heavenliness of all things oppai, butts, and whatever whatever.

It was almost sad, if their dedication and admiration, as their strong respect and desire for it all, wasn't aimed at such things.

Still though, that didn't necessarily mean that they were horrible people. Far from the contrary, actually. Issei was actually kind, generous and pleasant to talk with. It's his lecherous side that tends to get people confused about his true personality.

The other two, though… If he had to rate them on a perverted level by one to ten, they were on a solid eight, with Issei just being seven.

The three of them were good friends, that's for sure. Sharing the same 'interests' and being in the same age range, it didn't help that no one else in their school wanted to be friends with them, thus requiring them to hang out with just one another.

Kinda' pitiful, to be honest. But as long as they looked happy, he supposed he wouldn't say anything else.

"So Young-ae," said teenager turned his head to the left, gazing into the brown eyes of Issei. "Where're you from?"

"...Japan?" He offered, not fully understanding what his brown-haired acquaintance meant.

"No, what I mean is where do you _live_?" He repeated his question.

"Oh, okay. Well, I live in a shrine," he answered vaguely, getting Matsuda and Motohama's attention as well. They looked at him in surprise, getting a shrug from him. "It's nice, to be honest. Quiet, peaceful, no pollution. I've lived there for more than ten years, I think."

"Damn, that's something… Is there even Internet there?" Motohama asked, putting a fries in his mouth.

"Of course, though we don't really use it all that much," he shrugged once more. "It's just my mother, our… pet," he made a mental apology to the SPC for referring to her as such. "And me. We live there, and just do work, I guess."

"Damn, that sounds pretty boring," Issei said bluntly, receiving a jab to the shoulder from the spectacled boy. "Ow! Uhh, sorry about that."

"It's fine. But I quite like it myself, so there's that," Young-ae wondered as to how life would have been like in the town, but decided not to think too much about it. "I… really like being there. It's peaceful."

"Hey, it's your house. Whatever makes you comfortable," Motohama gave a thumbs-up.

"Well, enough of talk about shrines, and let's get on to a private 'discussion'," snickered Matsuda, with the other two males looking at him with sly grins. Young-ae held back the urge to just roll his eye. "Say, Young-ae, what do you think about women?"

"They're people that deserve to be respected, no matter the age or sex, as all humans should be," he promptly decided against mentioning all the other supernatural races, knowing that he'd either be called out for being a lunatic, or someone might just try to kill him.

…He really didn't need that second part.

"Well… sure, but don't you like what they got?" Suggested the bespectacled boy with a face that belonged to a cunning fox. "You know… their _assets_?"

"…I'm not going to comment," sighed the Korean-Japanese teenager, getting excited squeals from the other guys.

"Dude, it's chill..! You can tell us! We're all about the oppai, after all!" Issei waved off his concerns with a wide grin, not at all feeling ashamed at saying that. "So, what do you like?"

"…Her personality, I suppose?" He answered, sounding unsure, getting groans of dissatisfaction from the three friends. "What?"

"Bruh, you don't need to hold back with us! Every guy's got a favourite, and I'm sure you have something too!" Laughed Motohama as he gave a thumbs-up. "Come on, man, what do you like about her? You can tell us."

"We swear we won't tell anyone," Issei raised a hand, as if he was doing an oath, and the other guys did the same thing too, looking determined.

"…My God, you guys are seriously not going to shut up about this, aren't you?" Groaned the inhuman, getting nods from the other three males. He sighed in his mind, really not wanting to say anything. Unlike these three, he had been raised with the minimal attraction to the human biology, not at all focused on that.

To be true, his time spent in containment mostly had him wondering if he would ever stop clawing at his eye, slamming his eye into the door or just bite of his hand.

All the blood… It hurt, and he wished to have died back then.

But now, there was his chance to live life like a normal person could. All because he met his mother, whom had ultimately decided to save him.

But back to the topic, he never really focused on finding some girlfriend or anything, much less so think about the perverted stuff. If anything, he was more focused on becoming stronger, just to save himself, his loved ones, and kill off every bad person.

Looking at the three idiots before him today… He was sure that trying to survive against Shiro was easier than this!

Wait, no... Fighting her was way more difficult. But this was just stupid!

"Excuse me," all heads turned to the side, with the three perverted boys gasping in shock at the sight before them. "Can I ask all of you a few questions?"

Young-ae turned to look at the person, and even he himself was impressed.

The woman standing before them was dressed in what could be called last-minute outfit, with red boots and a grey dress shirt underneath an outer black dress, her messy green hair left to grow long and wild. Even so, she still looked quite pretty, and he would never deny it.

Although… admitting it would be pretty difficult.

"Umm, sure?" Young-ae spoke in stead of all his friends, noticing that they were too busy 'burning an image of her into their brains'.

"Well, I'd just like to know whether any of you are particularly interested in horror novels," she asked, a notepad at the ready.

"Not so much. I get nightmares pretty easily…" All but admitted the perverted brunette, his two friends nodding in shaky agreement.

"I see… And how about you?" She turned to Young-ae, the latter giving a hum before he spoke up.

"I've actually read a few, though I particularly avoid the overly gory ones," he explained, getting a look of surprise from the woman.

"Really? And why's that?" She was writing down notes.

"My mother… saw me doing some of the things in those books, so she officially prohibited me from reading any more of those," he chuckled, getting looks of fear and disbelief from his friends.

Not that he could blame them.

In his earlier years, back when he had just met his mother, he had actually picked up on reading. It was a fun hobby, truth be told, until it got to the vicious ones.

And Ophis did not like it, not one bit.

It was during this time of his life when he was still suicidal, willing to take his own life just to be free of the supposed 'shackles around his heart'. He wanted to let go of this world, to just be gone from the pains that he had suffered.

He had managed to hide his pain quite well with a lazy smile, but his mother knew him better.

Discreetly, he would often at times take the kitchen knife and eviscerate himself in the stomach area, particularly where the intestines were at. When that failed, he secretly poked his eye with a nail, but all that did was hurt him—strange, he thought it would have killed him. And his third and final thing he did, before he got caught, was slitting his throat with a pocket knife he had picked up.

Ever since then, she's been cultivating him in all sorts of arts, particularly cooking. It helped him off the suicide, and her utter worry for him soon bloomed that devotion towards her in his heart.

He understood then. She wanted him to live, and see the love that of which existed in this ruined world.

This world… was admittedly beautiful.

"I see… Can you give me an example?" She actually asked him that, with that genuine smile of hers.

Right now, the perverted friends of his couldn't help but stare at her as if she had just grown a third head. He himself was actually wondering if there was a loose screw in her or something.

Nonetheless, he supposed he could humour her for a bit.

"I stabbed myself in the stomach once and didn't die, how about that?" He answered, causing Issei to do a spit-take. "Wha—Hey!"

"Dude, what the f**k?! That's messed up!" He yelled, unaware towards the fact that everyone was now staring at the teenager.

"That was a really long time ago. I don't do that sort of thing anymore, I learned my lesson," sighed the inhuman as he turned his attention to the woman, noticing her nonchalance towards his words. "Well, there you are. Are you satisfied?"

"Quite so, yes. Thank you," she just thanked him. What the heck?

"Actually, I have to ask you why you just asked us all these questions," he was looking at her warily now.

"The thing is, I'm planning to write a horror novel based on experimentations and the like," she couldn't help but notice the very subtle tensing of his body when she mentioned 'experimentations'. She held back from asking him anything. "So yeah, I needed some valuable input to make this a worthwhile story."

"You sure people are going to be fine reading a book about people being placed inside labs and getting gutted?" He gulped, seriously hoping that she was not—

"I'm still thinking about it," she shrugged.

Okay, that calls it. This woman was crazy!

"Well then! I think this is all for today! Thank you very much for your time!" She did a bow, leaving the restaurant a moment later.

The four boys watched as she disappeared, finally sighing in relief when she was gone.

One thing for sure, she was certainly messed up.

* * *

Evening

"Well man, thanks for hanging out with us guys. We're not really well-liked by everyone else that much," chuckled Issei as he walked side-by-side with Young-ae, his two perverted comrades having gone home by now.

"It's fine. And putting aside your perversity, you guys aren't all that bad," shrugged the non-human. "And hey, thanks for showing me that restaurant. That's the first time I've ever drank coke. I'll pay you back for that."

"What?! First time drinking coke! Dude, you are seriously missing out!" Gawked the brunette, getting a roll of the eyes from the other male.

"I live in a shrine, remember?" He pointed out with blasé.

"But still! To have never tasted that before… That's just unheard of!" He sputtered, before finally putting on a wide grin with a determined look. "Welp, that's it! From now on, I'll treat you to lunch whenever you want to go eat stuff! Tell me when, and I'll pay for you."

"I have money too, you idiot," was what he said, but even he couldn't hold back from laughing this time.

"Yeah. Well, I've got to get back home first. My mom and dad will kill me if I'm away out at night," he scratched his neck with a chuckle. "Oh hey, maybe you want to come with? Your mom doesn't mind if you're away for a little bit, right?"

"Well… not too long, that is. She'd get worried by then," nodded the Korean-Japanese teenager, not sure if he really should be doing this, but he trusted Issei at this point.

They were on a short trip to a pretty-looking house, not at all too fancy. Very normal, simple, but it retained a strange uniqueness of its own. The walls were grey, the windows were clear, and there were lights on—the people inside his house, probably just his parents, were awake, it seems.

Reaching the front of the house, Issei was just about to enter his house until—

"Hey kids," the two turned to the source of the voice, belonging to a strange old man, who had a scar just above his right eye, looking fresh still. "Can I ask you somethin'?"

"What's up?" The brunette asked back.

Young-ae had half a heart to tell his friend that they shouldn't be talking to some random cuckoo from the streets, who called them out of the blue. Then again, this is Issei he was talking about, and—as far as their interactions had been—the guy was just someone who really liked hearing others out.

"Do you youngsters know where my son went?" He asked, smiling peacefully as he kept one hand in the pocket. The ravenette eyed that particular spot warily, not trusting him one bit.

"Umm… no, not really. How does he look like?" Issei scratched his head in response.

"Some height like you boys, with grey hair and very thin. You must've seen him around, no?" There was certainly something off about him, judging by the strange tone of the voice.

"Not as far as we've been here, nope," Young-ae answered. "In any case, we'll be taking our leave, thank you very much."

Just as he was about to drag his friend away, suspicious of this stranger immensely, a strong grip took a hold of his shoulder.

His eyes showed indignation, slightly distrust, and most of all, killing intent.

"Boy, I think you're lying, and I know lying kids when I se—" He didn't even have the chance to finish his sentence before the teenager threw a punch straight at his bottom jaw, sending him back by a bit.

"Whoa, what the heck, dude?!" Issei gasped, staring at his friend.

"This guy is not normal, that's for sure," he said, readying himself slightly.

"What do you…" His words died in his throat once he took a good look at the guy.

He craned his neck to the side, a sickening pop being heard. His smile dropped, replaced now with an amused smirk that masked his ferocity.

His fingers were twitching, fidgeting.

"Well, you got me, boy. I wouldn't have expected anything less from you," chuckled the old 'man' as he walked towards the two, both of the younger males taking just the same amount of steps backwards. "How'd you notice?"

"Your grip. Far too strong to belong to an old guy around your age," he answered, not dropping his guarding stance at all. "Issei, run."

"Eh?" He blinked in response.

"Run, damn it!" He yelled, and soon enough the two broke into a run.

But even before they got far...

*Crash!*

"Holy sh*t!" Issei fell to the ground, a large crater formed just a metre away from where he stood.

And the cause of such a thing was indeed a strange piece of meat, looking almost like a tentacle, coming from the back of the man's waist.

And what the hell? His eyes were fully black, and there was one single red orb in the middle of the darkness, scanning the two teenagers with a deadly look.

"H-Holy crap… What the hell is he?" Issei took a step backwards, looking scared sh*tless.

"A ghoul," the other teenager answered. "Creatures who feed on humans to survive. And since we're definitely humans, looks like he's got his eyes on us."

"Ohh, you have got to be kidding me…" Gulped the brunette.

Almost instantly, the ghoul lashed out at them, screaming something incoherent as he swung his kagune everywhere, missing the two teenagers by just a hair's length. They kept evading each blow, knowing that just one strike was enough to knock them out for good.

Young-ae didn't want to run the risk of revealing himself, but to hell with that!

"Hey Issei!" He yelled in the midst of his running, tilting his head to the side to evade a sudden jab. "Maybe I wasn't really being honest with you the whole time!"

"What'cha mean?!" He shouted back, getting behind some random street lamp.

And just when he thought he had been cornered, which made sense as to why the ghoul was suddenly grinning at him madly, looking like he had played the younger fool into his own trap, outstretching his kagune to gore him apart—

*Shing!*

"Ghaaha!" The older ghoul jolted backwards as he felt his predatory organ ripped to shreds by another force. Staring at the cause, he felt his jaws drop.

For in the place of what had seemed to be an ordinary teenager, now stood a single black-eyed ghoul with what seemed to be maws protruding from his back, staring at him and chomping down hard on its own fangs, ready to kill.

"W-Whoa…" The perverted teen had known that his friend was special—since he did technically admit himself having done messed up stuff to his own body—but he didn't think he was like this.

"You're a half-ghoul? But I never noticed you," the older ghoul spoke, curious as his tone implied.

"It's called masking my scent. And if you actually ask me how I did it, don't even ask," the maws shot forwards, slamming its 'skull' hard against the concrete road, sending stones flying but hitting nothing. "You're going to be dead anyways."

 **[BOOST!]**

"Huh?"  
"Don't worry! I can fight too!"

It wasn't the matter of whether or not Issei could fight. But what truly got him to be shocked in the first place was the red gauntlet that suddenly materialised around Issei's left arm, looking like the arm of a dragon with a bright green gem on the centre.

He's already read enough books back home to know that he was staring at the [Boosted Gear], the very same 'SacredGear' that was supposedly housing Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor.

And this knowledge made him sweat-drop. Why so?

Well, it doesn't help the fact that his team leader is Valeria, who just so happens to be the possessor of the [Divine Dividing], so that means these two are going to have to duke it out one day.

Aargh! And he just got on good terms with the guy too!

"Issei, I'm gonna' stun him. Strike him by then," Young-ae said, shifting his maws to the eyed blades.

"G-Got it," the brunette nodded, almost feeling a shudder travel down his spine when he thought those eyes were staring back at him.

"Alright… Go!"  
"Got it!"

The half-ghoul let out a battle cry as he rushed forwards, blocking an attack before he thrusted a blade forwards, like a rapier that had shot forwards in one straight trajectory. He managed to get a hit at the man's leg, before jabbing him at the shoulder again.

Dodging a blunt strike aimed for his head, he quickly dodged yet another strike, before shifting his eyed blades for his tentacles, whipping it towards the older ghoul and hitting him in the torso, sending him back.

"Issei!" The brunette rushed in, taking the cue well and opening his palm. Wondering what he was about to do—

 **[EXPLOSION!]**

Before the red 'SacredGear' suddenly formed an energy ball, shooting forth before colliding with the ghoul and, true to its name, producing a violent discharge of energy that sent him flying into the air—

*Thud!*

"Gah..!" Finally crashing into the roadside, he wasn't even allowed time for recovery before the gauntlet-wearing teenager crashed his gauntlet into his face, slamming him even down into the earth. When Issei jumped back—

*Bam!*

He wasn't expecting a twenty-tonne—give or take—kagune to suddenly drop itself onto his body, the force more than enough to crush his ribs.

*Ching!*

"Khhk..!" He felt something extremely sharp stab into his throat, cutting his windpipe without so much of an effort.

"I told you, you were going to die anyways. Now make things easier for me and just shut it," the teenager spat, pushing the blade further into the throat before pulling it out, leaving him to bleed dry. "Issei, go back home."

"And what about you?" He asked back as he unequipped his 'SacredGear', looking worried.

"We're going to get in trouble if people see us around a guy who has a hole in his neck. Just go, I'll take care of everything else," he shook his head. "I'll see you next time."

"R-Right. Take care," dumbly nodded the brunette as he retreated to his home, leaving Young-ae alone for the night.

The half-ghoul gave a sigh, glaring daggers at the clearly dying man. He didn't care. It was his own mistake to have tried to attack them in the first place, and this was the price to pay.

No one would know, let alone hear the muffled screams of the old ghoul as he was dragged against the concrete road into an alleyway, and the sickening crunch of a skull being crushed—or in this case, consumed—to ever be heard by the ears of others. Let alone such a thing being the actions of a teenager, who possessed such blood in his body to begin with.

He would admit, it didn't taste as good as human, but this was to remove evidence.

* * *

That Night

When Young-ae got home, he was sure that his mother and Nue would certainly get worried about him, bombarding him with a million questions and another.

And, surprisingly enough—or unsurprisingly, depending on who you asked—such a thing happened.

"What happened?" She asked, noticing the blood streaks down his lips.

"A… friend of mine and I got attacked by a ghoul. We just took care of him, is all," he shrugged in a nonchalant way, though made sure to put on a reassuring smile just to calm his mother down. "He was really weak, so there was nothing for us to worry about, really."

"I see…" He could still her the concern in his words, but he supposed it was understandable. "Also, your friend, I sensed a power inside of him."

"Wait, what? You could sense him all the way from here?" Now that took him by surprise.

"I, have connected a part of, my soul with yours, so I can feel anything around you," she explained, able to picture an imaginary question mark above his head.

He was honestly confused as to how she managed to do it in the first place, but he supposed that it would be better to ask her that on another time.

Still, there was only one more thing that he was sure she would like more than anything.

"So… dinner?" And there was no mistaking the way both mother and friend lit up in anticipation, and he got down to work right off the bat.

* * *

The Next Day

On his way to the Khaos Brigade base, Young-ae could not help but think of the 'Red Dragon Emperor', whom he had just met on a strange coincidence.

And said person being just as, if not weirder.

You can't blame him, though. His mother had raised him up with the stories of how such a dragon had casted destruction upon the world, all because of his selfish duel with his brother for the throne of power, God finally having given up and sealed them in 'SacredGears', just to prevent any more bad stuff from happening.

He had always known that such a force was powerful. That the sheer thought of facing off against such a thing was considered suicide, and that he would not be able to survive even one measly blow, he bet.

And yet…

'Well, I guess I could give him the benefit of the doubt,' he thought to himself, sweat-dropping. 'Sure, he's a pervert and all, but not all books' covers mean what they show…'

For all he knew, the guy could grow to become one of the most strangest—err, str **o** ngest warriors to be ever known on the whole wide world.

Although, it would certainly kill the expectation if he actually got himself a harem… Not that the teenager minded, oh no. He just hoped that Issei wouldn't let his goal get in the way of his journey to becoming the 'Red Dragon Emperor'.

'Welp, that's his story, and I've still got my own to take care of,' that single thought got him chuckling, entering a slight jogging state towards the base.

Arriving at the location, he was greeted by a few of the members of the organisation, prompting him to reply—for a bunch of supposed bastards ruining the lives of millions, the people in said bunch can be pretty nice.

Almost like they didn't really want to do this…

"Oh, Young-ae!" He perked up, seeing Le Fay round up from a corner. "You're fully healed?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he nodded back. "Where's the others? I don't see em' anywhere."

"They're not here yet. Only my brother and I had arrived," she said back, getting a hum from the lad. "So, Young-ae, would you like to partake in a short game of chess?"

"Chess, huh? Well, I suppose I don't mind," he grinned, allowing her to lead the way. Shouldn't be too hard, right?

* * *

I stand corrected.

*Clack.*

"Check," though he had sounded calm on the outside, there was no mistaking the way his eyebrows were furrowed downwards, his attention wholly on the chess board itself. And his opponent, though not smug, was immensely clever.

He could appreciate that in the guy, unlike most butts who liked to boast about their victories and the like. How could they live with themselves?

*Clack.*

"You're certainly taking into attention of your chess pieces," casually commented Arthur as he moved back his horse, defending his king piece. "I must say, you're pretty good, actually. Did you learn this at your home?"

"Ehh, I was pretty lazy back then so I asked my mother to play a round with me," he replied, still staring at the board—deciding not to mention the fact that he had not win against her so far.

 _Yet._

'Just you wait, mother, I'll show you I can win…' He smiled in his mind, though such a bright thought lasted only for a moment before he moved his remaining rook piece to the front, ready to capture the king.

"A good attempt," he actually noticed that? "But I'm afraid there is still a flaw in your actions. Observe."

Not understanding what Arthur meant, he watched as the blonde teenager push his bishop piece off to the side… in check with his opponent's king.

And though he had not realised that he had made such a terrible mistake, it only dawned on him when he realised one fatal thing…

'I can't defend my king..!' He shouted in his head.

"As you can see, you've seemed to have moved your pieces to the point where none of them can actually be there to protect your king piece. It's such that I'm able to claim your king just like that," he tilted his glasses upwards, and Young-ae actually took the moment to understand how he made it shine briefly. "As such, checkmate."

"Uurgh…" Groaning, the black-haired teenager felt his head drop, utterly defeated. "You've got to be kidding me…"

"You need not rush. Take the time to truly learn the ways of the game," he said, putting away all the pieces for now. "Although, I must say, that tactic of trying to get my queen without even needing to use that knight piece of yours was truly ingenious. I didn't even see it coming."

"I just happened to see my bishop placed there, conveniently enough. So I decided, 'Meh, why not?'," he opened his arms as he shrugged with an easy smile. "But damn, you were really good there. I'm going to practice someday, so help me get better then."

"As you wish," he nodded, smiling.

After getting everything settled, both the male teens made their way to the cafeteria, deciding to just go see whatever the blonde's sister was up to—possibly trying out some magic tricks?

Whilst Young-ae was wondering what sort of recipes he could pick up in the cafeteria, he was brought out of his thoughts by Arthur with a tap on his shoulder.

"Young-ae, though I'm certain that you're completely healed by now, are you absolutely fine to battle?" He asked, just a minor hint of concern laced in his words.

"You don't need to worry about me so much. Worry about yourself first," laughed the half-ghoul as he continued on his way, the bespectacled teenager sighing beside him as he followed along.

"Well, of course… But if you need rest, you need not hold back from doing so," he offered, not missing a beat. "We're quite capable of taking over until you're properly—"

"Arthur, calm down. I'm all fine now, really," chuckled the half-ghoul as he gave a few pats on his fellow male's shoulder, eliciting a slightly surprised expression from the guy. "Look, what happened back then will be the last. I promise, nothing's going to keep me away from the mission anymore."

It would certainly be hard to lie to the blonde man who was known to be the best swordsman in the Khaos Brigade, who certainly was well-known to possess a keen mind. Nothing ever passed him, after all, and he would certainly be able to read just about anyone like a book.

But Young-ae had made sure to put on his reassuring grin, not at all looking nervous. In the end, he seemed to have won the battle, as Arthur just sighed, shaking his head.

"Well, if you say so. But still, if you ever feel tired, just leave things to us," said the blonde once more.

"Yeah, I got it," Young-ae nodded back, grateful, ready to just walk once more until—

*Thud!*

"Oof..!" He felt the wind knocked out of him, curtesy of a certain albino. 'Damn, what has she been doing as training all these years..? She feels like a train..!'

"Young-ae!" Shiro cried out, backing away from him and looking at him tearfully. "Is Young-ae alright?!"

"I-I'm fine, Shiro, I swear," he sighed, scratching his head before he flashed her a thumbs-up. "I'm good to go. Be expecting to see me on the battlefield."

"F-Fine… But don't get hurt again!" She pouted, looking immensely serious. Although, ever the cute girl she is, it was hard to actually take her seriously.

"Hai, hai. I'll make sure to keep that in mind," he gave a short salute.

And so, Young-ae spent the time talking to his teammates—though he was more comfortable to regard them as his friends at this point—before the rest of the team arrived.

Valeria looked as divine as ever—no pun intended—with her silver locks and grey outfit, looking ready to fight. Kuroka was the same as ever; shamelessly seductive and mischievous all the same. Bikou looked more than excited for the fun to come, though he seemed more relaxed than anything at the moment.

Soon enough, together once more, it was only a matter of time before a messenger came to them, stating that their newest mission was just about ready to be briefed to them by Cao Cao himself.

Though everyone else seemed fine, Young-ae did his best to hide some guilt and distrust. Guilt because he had basically almost killed his commander, though he doubted the human would seriously go down that easily. And distrust because of his stunt.

The bad memories were stashed away for the time, but they resurfaced sometime and then.

Getting to their commander's room, they were met with the sight of what could be described as a shabby-looking office, with a birch study and all sorts of books stored away in the bookshelves to the side of the room. There was the scent of mind in the room, as if he had just gotten some sort of air freshener just recently.

Young-ae noticed the blue-haired man staring at the papers before him, before finally stacking them and storing them in a cabinet.

"So, is your team ready for the next mission?" Asked Cao Cao, though his question seemed to be particularly directed at the half-ghoul of the team.

"Yeah, we're all good to go," Valeria nodded, with the black-haired teen doing the same, just to assure his commander.

"Hmm… Well, if you say so," his smile came up, passing a piece of document to the silverette. "Every detail of your upcoming detail mission is stored in that document I've just given you. Make sure to give it a read before going out."

"Of course," she gave a slight bow, with everyone following suit.

"Ah, and one thing. This mission is going to be extremely important, so I ask that you set out by tomorrow night," he said, and everyone shared a look of thought, before giving them a nod. "Splendid. And I hope to hear good news from you. Glory to the Khaos Brigade."

* * *

'Didn't some other organisation use that sort of phrase?' Thought the half-ghoul as he walked beside his childhood friend, who seemed happy on her part.

Nonetheless, none of them had actually taken a peek at the document just yet, more interested in getting some training done. Only when they're done with that will they check what's in it, and possibly whatever dangers that it may entail for them.

Somehow, Young-ae doubted such a thought. Amongst him were some of the most powerful beings to have ever existed, even if they had technically never truly shown their full potential. And standing with them just had made him worried.

He was, by far—in his head, that is—the weakest one there is. He had promised himself that, with his power, he would use it to protect others. But now, fighting alongside all these guys made him feel as if _he_ was the one being protected by others.

Come on! It wasn't fair!

But the more he thought about it, the more it kind of made sense, in a way.

Shiro was like a powerhouse, and the reason for such an immense growth spurt in her strength still remained as a mystery. Valeria was blessed with the blood of the Lucifer, adding more to her powers with the [Divine Dividing] 'Longinus'. Arthur and Le Fay made up for each other's flaws with their swordsmanship and skill over magic individually, proving to be a powerful duo. Bikou had raw strength, as well as his cunningness to back him up. And Kuroka was essentially strong, her mastery over 'senjutsu' only helping her further.

But Young-ae liked to reflect on himself, and found himself lacking in many terms.

Specifically, he had only been fighting with his own innate ability, which he sometimes didn't like to say was all that great. Sure, it acted like an extra arm, but what good was it against something that can shoot death rays at him?

Not to mention that he had never, not once, taken an interest into learning magic. Now, however, he was beginning to regret such action, knowing that it would have helped him immensely.

He sighed in his mind, knowing for sure that, one way or another, he was going to screw the whole operation up, be it his hesitance or some mental shut-down.

Still, that didn't necessarily mean that he was out of the game just yet. He was going to work his ass hard enough to be just as strong as the others, and prove to the world that the same half-ghoul tortured behind the scenes can indeed change everything.

*Crash!*

"Whoa," he blinked as he noticed Kuroka having shot an energy blast at where Bikou once stood, shouting something about how she hated him for knowing her underwear colour, with said monkey youkai grinning like an idiot and running around the training field as he evaded each of her deadly attacks. "Well… That's something."

"You can say that again," chuckled Valeria as she crossed her arms under her bust. "So Young-ae, how would you say, perhaps, if I…"

"Up for a round?" He immediately cut her off, and there was a glint in her eyes.

"I'm good for it, yeah. Let's go," excitedly spoke the young Lucifer as she ran off to the field.

Young-ae couldn't help but feel his own smile coming, knowing for sure that life had just gotten interesting.

* * *

Somewhere Else…

"Are you kidding me? Young-ae and Issei already met?" Spoke a fallen angel, sighing when the woman sitting opposite of him just nodded with that tired smile of hers. "Maaan… I would've loved to see him for myself as well."

"I heard that he's currently living with Ophis, going so far as to proclaim her as his mother," chuckled the angel as his wings shined golden.

"Well, at least Ophis-sama looked happy. She certainly didn't seem that way for the past fifty years," the angel's sister smiled, happy at the turn of events.

"Indeed. And it's safe to say that he will indeed be the turning point of all of this. It's just a matter of when will everything fall into place," chuckled the red-haired devil, a grey-haired woman standing behind him, before turning his attention to the green-haired woman. "And thank you for informing us about him, Sen."

"Oh, don't worry too much about it. Just take it as a fellow ghoul looking one after another," giggled the woman in response. "He _is_ quite interesting, I'll give you that."

And such was the council between the great leaders of their individual factions, not knowing what would soon come…


	8. Chapter 7

"I really like you!" - Speech

'Too much, huh?' - Thoughts

" **Put him out** **…"** \- Inhuman Speech

' **Pray to God.** **"** \- Inhuman Thoughts

" _And just like that_ _…"_ _-_ Flashback / Emphasis

*Brr!* *Smack!* - Sound effects

* * *

\Chapter 7: A **ni** mali **s** tic In **s** tinc **t** \

The mission was one that Young-ae had honestly thought was either going to be very easy, or was just sugarcoated to the point where the true difficulty was hidden.

And so, he honestly had one opinion on this next big operation of theirs; they were going to get immensely screwed.

Not that he had no trust in his comrades whatsoever, hell no. Valeria alone was a powerhouse that only a madman would even think of facing off against, and the rest of them were so great in their own ways that it would make fighting them incredibly difficult as well.

But he had to admit, securing the supposed leader of the Youkai, Yasaka, and to bring her here was indeed going to be a challenge.

But what was his initial thoughts were not of the mission, but on a certain 'friend' of his.

Namely one Issei Hyoudou.

To be honest, when he had met up with the boy that day, he _did_ sense a SacredGear, though he had not expected it to actually be a freaking Longinus!

Coupled with that one fight with the random ghoul, and he had to send the guy off just so that he wouldn't be witness to whatever gruesome act he had in store for the ghoul—basically, he devoured him. Nothing too much.

Although, he did kind of feel bad to be leaving Issei like that. On a sidenote, however, he heard that the brunette was a student at the same campus he had visited once that day. What a stroke of fate, he'd like to think.

For now, however, he had to focus on the mission he would soon be carrying out. And one thing's for sure…

"You, will be leaving?" His mother, ever the cute little girl that she had taken form all these years, could be seen frowning as he packed up some stuff into a simple backpack.

"Unfortunately, yeah. I may not be home in a week, but I'll try to finish things as quickly as possible and get back home just as fast," Young-ae responded, bringing with him a book, some pencils, just a spare of a shirt and pants, and some 'rations'. "Nue, I'll be putting you in charge of protecting mother and taking care of the house, got it?"

*Rrhaa…*

"Oh, please, you don't need to worry so much about me. I'll be fine," chuckling, he dropped to one leg to pet the creature. "Remember, girl, this is just as important to me as it is to Cao Cao. I need to grow up."

"Young-ae," he turned his head to Ophis, not quick enough before she suddenly hugged him. "Please… be careful."

It was a shocker for him at first, but the surprise wore off quick enough for him to return the loving gesture, smiling with much gratitude.

He wasn't sure what to make of the death of his parents, often laughing at it with a sad look that made people want to sympathise for him. But he didn't need the pity. He had moved on, sobbed as much as he could, and decided to grow.

But now, he had a family to protect. A girl who had mended his broken pieces that which was his heart, and everything else was waiting for him.

His little family would be waiting for his return, so he'd better not screw this up.

"Yeah, got it," the teenager just smiled back.

* * *

A Few Days Ago—Kuoh Academy

"So you're saying that you had an encounter with a… ghoul, was it? And that you had managed to befriend one and fight off the previous one?"

"Yeah, but Young-ae's just a half-ghoul."

Rias Gremory, esteemed princess of the Gremory household, King of her own peerage, one of the 'Great Onee-chan' of Kuoh Academy, sat back in her chair and sighed.

For certain, when she had felt a massive spike of energy coming from town one day, she had not been surprised to know that it was just Issei. But then, there had been something else. Something that didn't necessarily feel like devil's energy, so it must have been some other power; one that she could not recognise.

It easily got her worried, only to see the beloved brunette standing there like the jolly dummy he is.

So when she asked Issei, her pawn, it was a long and convoluted explanation that honestly amazed her just how 'good' he can be with his words.

"So, is this ghoul person that you fought dead?" She asked, leaning forwards.

"I don't know. Only thing I know is that Young-ae dragged him off to somewhere. Asked me to go home somewhere around that time, too," shrugged the brunette, getting a second sigh from his king. "But listen, he's a really cool guy. I trust him."

"Are you sure? I don't want to run the risk of having such a dangerous person in our grounds, much less so risk the chance of triggering a war of sorts," her tone was deadly serious, reminding him just how serious this entire situation was.

"He's not dangerous! He's a friend of mine, and he saved my life!" All but shouted the brunette in response, a slight pause before he continued. "Twice. One from the ghoul, but the previous one from a biker dude."

She looked at him for a moment before just chuckling, shaking her head.

Ignoring the little fact that he had been in an argument with a biker, she knew that Issei was an idiot at times, but his heart was in the good place. That much she knew, since he had saved so many of his friends—including herself—from themselves and others. As, she decided to place her trust in him.

"Well, I suppose we'll just forget all that. In any case, you should probably get going. You're on a school trip to Kyoto, right?" She suddenly brought up, getting a nod from her pawn.

"Yup! And don't worry, I'll make sure to be on my best behaviour on that day!" Issei declared as he slammed his chest with a balled fist, looking determined.

Sure, he may be the most perverted guy on the block, and _sure_ , he could be pretty reckless—'pretty' as in _very_ —but Issei knew his limits.

This was going to be one trip to remember, and he was going to enjoy it no matter what! And with Kiba, Xenovia, Irina, Rossweisse-sensei and Azazel-sensei, everything was going to be even more radical!

In the end, all came down to one simple fact; it was just a school trip! What could possibly go wrong, right?

* * *

Present Time

Standing here, in this very town, Young-ae was reminded just how big this world really is, no matter how much he tried to say otherwise.

Kyoto, a beautiful city by which it depended solely on nature. The citizens here were nice, and the food smelt great—too bad he wouldn't be able to even taste them. And for certain, the air smelt great as well, showing just how clean this place is.

He momentarily wondered if there had been any difference between this place and his home, only to come to a conclusion that no, there hadn't been any.

Both the shrine and here were extremely clean.

"Hey Young-ae!" The teenager turned around, seeing Bikou there, grinning simply. "Come on! We don't got all day, you know!"

"Yeah, got it," he nodded, just about ready to take his leave when he noticed a stall with sweets there. '…Right.'

After some time, the group of fighters had reconvened at a hotel owned by an old human couple, last person being Young-ae, who was now holding a bag of sweets and chocolates in one hand.

"Ehh? Chocholate? At a time like this?" Sweat-dropped the monkey-like being as he looked at the other man, getting a shake of the head.

"Don't worry, I'm not eating them. It's for mother," he said before he turned his attention to Valeria. "So, where to now, leader?"

"We're supposed to be moving out to some temporary hideaway, and then we'll decide our next plan of action from there," answered the Lucifer heir, checking her nails before lowering her hand. "In any case, we should get moving. I don't want people to see us for too long."

"Right? It's kind of hard to keep my ears and tails hidden for too long, nya…" Complained Kuroka as her fingers twitched.

'Kinda like trying to hold yourself back from scratching an itch, huh? I wonder…' That train of thoughts quickly came to a halt as a young child ran past him, accidentally bumping into his side. "Aah, sorry. You alright?"

"H-Huh? O-Oh, right! I'm sorry, I'm fine!" The girl turned around, bowing deeply before running off.

He watched her leave, somewhat confused what happened there. Then again, he supposed anything goes, in this world.

Afterwards, the group of seven proceeded to make their leave, opting to continue.

Another few minutes later was all it took for them to arrive at a rundown warehouse, whereby the only sounds present was the minute steps of rats and lizards. And even the heavy musk of dust was enough to make them sick.

"T-The heck? Are they seriously telling us to stay _here_..?" Coughed the human-ghoul halfbreed, bringing a hand to his mouth and nose to cover them. "The nerve…"

"True… We might want to get started with cleaning this place," nodded Valeria, her face scrunched up.

"W-Wait!" All heads turned to Le Fay, who produced a simple staff. "Allow me to help with this!"

All of them stepped back, watching as the blonde magician began chanting some strange tongue. A language Young-ae was certain only he didn't understand since he didn't bother to study magic—judging by how her brother nodded.

And then, something seemed to have clicked. The wind picked up, carrying with it the smell of perfume as it blew over the entirety of the building, removing dust and every other rubbish present.

It didn't take six eye blinks for everything to be cleaned, which honestly surprised Young-ae.

So it seemed that magic wasn't necessarily limited to just combat… That would actually be really useful, he thought. And definitely make chores easier.

Maybe he'll study magic in his freetime once he gets back…

"Whoa! That was amazing, Le Fay!" Cheering, Shiro was quick to tackling the other girl with a powerful hug, giggling loudly all the while. The blonde, on the other hand, merely stammered as she tried to get her to stop.

Everyone else just smiled.

* * *

That Night

"So our mission is to capture Lady Yasaka and bring her to base, right?" Young-ae's question was met with a nod from the others, getting him to think for a minute before he spoke up once more. "Well, since she's the leader of the Youkai faction, y'all do know that she'll be heavily protected, right?"

"Of course. But there should be no problem with that. Cao Cao has been kind enough to give to us his plan, so there should be no problem already," nodded Arthur.

"Well, if you say so…" But if one listened closely to his voice, they would know immediately that he didn't sound all that convinced. "So, what do we do _now_?"

"Get some sleep, obviously. We're gonna' have to wake up early and get moving by sunrise," said their leader before she stood up, making her way up the ladders to some other section of this rundown warehouse. "Night, everyone."

"Goodnight," they all returned the wish, with each person beginning to leave for their own 'room', per se.

Leaving Young-ae on his own, much to his surprise.

Seriously? Did all of them come here earlier to book themselves a place to sleep? Damn, and he didn't do that? That was not fair!

Suddenly, it hit him. He had time to himself, right? No one would even notice if he went out for a quick while, right?

'Magic training,' he told himself, taking his backpack and leaving it close to the entrance of the warehouse before taking a step outside. "Crud, it's cold…"

Goes to show how cold Japan is at night. Or, anywhere else, he supposed.

Sniffing, he pulled the coat he had brought with him tighter around himself, making sure that he had the book on magic—'borrowed' from Le Fay—with him.

And thus, he left the place.

* * *

Yasaka, leader of the Youkai faction, was loved and adored by many.

She ruled with a kind hand, never at once choosing to showing terror to anyone. But of course, as a leader must, she would judge those that which have wronged themselves and others in a justly manner.

The people loved her, her daughter loved her, and she believed that everything was perfect.

So why was there something nagging at her?

Something just… didn't feel right. She didn't want to think about it, but there was certainly something. It just… made her feel so on edge, she couldn't really catch some sleep that night.

So that was why she had left her sleeping daughter, Kunou, alone at home with some other guardians as she made her way to a nearby park, wanting to just get some air to clear her head.

They always said that walking out at night in Kyoto could help with relaxi—

"Damn it..! What am I getting wrong?!" She paused in her tracks, hearing the sounds of an angered teen from the park.

Confused, and admittedly curious, she walked there, wondering just what was going on.

Peering around a tree, she could see a teenager with black hair and a white crown, was squatting somewhere close to the sandy area, his hands together in a way to hold a ball, muttering some words of magic…

Causing a small flicker of flame to appear in the middle of his hands.

His smile was wide, breath caught in his throat, only for the fire to diminish. And with it, the happiness.

"God damn… How does Le Fay make it look so easy?" He clicked his tongue, scratching the back of his head in frustration. He then took the book he had put to the side earlier, flipping a few pages. "Let's see… Concentration, right? Clear your mind and all that junk? Hmm… maybe my mana reserves isn't that big?"

"I'd like to think that that's not the case," a new voice broke the silent air, causing the teenager to jump in shock, quickly turning around…

Only to come face-to-face with a beautiful woman with blond hair, and a figure that he was certain most men would be head over heels for.

He used down such thoughts, though, the surprise overtaking any sort of thoughts.

"Uhh…" Although, he didn't really know what to say in this situation, given the fact that he was face-to-face with a beautiful woman who had _ears_ and _tails_ sticking out from the top of her head and back respectively. 'A Youkai..? Ah, right, their leader Yasaka rules this place. Of course there would be Youkai here and there!'

"Forgive me for surprising you. You seemed to be in trouble with something that I couldn't help but take a look," giggled the older woman. "So, what seems to be the problem?"

"Huh? Oh, it's just that I can't seem to use magic, for some reason," he said, frowning. "I mean, I'm doing everything the book is telling me to do."

"Hmm… From here, I can sense that your magic reserves are quite high, even more so than most Youkai I know," she said. "Tell me, did you concentrate?"

"Of course I did. Even cleared my mind of things and tried doing it, but it just doesn't come to me," huffing, he set the book down. "Maybe I'm not cut out for magic…"

"Ah-ah! We shouldn't let such small failures stop us from doing what we want to do, young one," her voice was like that of a mother's, scolding yet loving. He couldn't help but… think that he was talking to _his_ mother right now. "Come here, I'll help you."

Thinking that whatever it meant—judging by how she was asking him to get closer to her—he merely shrugged before doing as he was told.

"Now, outstretch your arms," her instructions were taken well, as he did what she told him. "Open your hands."

"Yeah, I got that. Now wha—" Any other things he wanted to say died in his throat when she suddenly hugged him from behind, soft hands resting directly on his beating heart. And though he rarely got flustered, the blush on his face certainly defined such a time. "W-What the?!"

"Shush. Just do what I tell you, and take deep breaths," once more, he could not rebel against her angelic voice. Sucking in air, he let it all out, and repeated the process a few more times until he could feel calm. "Good. Now close your eyes."

His vision turned dark.

"Now, picture the small fire in your hands. Imagine the fire combusting from absolutely nothing. Think of it like striking a match, except this time, there is no match," slowly, the pictures began forming themselves in his mind, guidance from this beautiful Youkai making the entire process much easier than he thought. "Now, all you have to do is let the fire grow. Picture it growing bigger, to a size you wish for it to be."

Humming, he continued to do as such… only to feel heat permeating to his palms.

When he opened his eyes, he was delighted to see a bright wisp, dancing in front of his palms.

"I-It worked…" His breath came out as a hush, too surprised to actually say anything.

"Now all you have to do is imagine the fire still there, and you should be able to maintain the form," chuckled the woman as she pulled back, watching as the teenager returned his hand to himself, the wisp in one hand now. "That should be easy now, right? Now, if you ever want to activate the fire, just do so with one hand. It would be much easier."

"T-True… Oh, and thank you for helping me!" Bowed the halfbreed, getting another set of giggles from the older woman.

"It's fine. You actually helped me to unwind," she shook her head in response. "In any case, would you mind telling me why you wanted to learn magic?"

"Huh? Oh, it's just… I have this friend who's really good at magic. Probably the best compared to anyone else, really," the lad chuckled, rubbing the back of his head as he averted his gaze to the moon. "And I tell you, I was pretty impressed. She did all sorts of cool stuff, so I wanted to learn how to use magic all the same."

"Really? That's interesting," nodding, she allowed a soft smile to adorn her features. "I would recommend you to start off with the smaller ones, though. Begin from the very basic of something and work your way up to whatever you'd like."

"Yeah, got it," he nodded back. "Well, I think I should get back now. Thanks for helping me out, miss. I thought it would've taken me forever, so you can imagine how surprised I am since all it took me was one night."

"Well, there's much for you to learn," laughing, she made way back to where she came from. "It was a pleasure meeting you."

"And you all the same, miss," grinning, he too decided to return to his home, but still feeling a tad bit guilty that her leader was going to get kidnapped.

And Yasaka, having found her heart much more relaxed than earlier, was ready to turn in for the night. Just the same as Young-ae, who was even more motivated to learn magic.

Both under the bliss of not knowing that they were to become enemies soon enough.

* * *

The Next Day

"So you're telling me that I should have used my rook to trap your queen, which would have given me the chance to check your king, and ultimately claim victory?"

"Indeed, and you've lost the chance to do so the moment you had decided to actually capture my queen. Nonetheless, congratulations on getting this far."

"Damn it…"

Arthur knew that their mission would have taken some time, so he had brought with him a chess set.

Of course, even he had thought that it would have been pretty embarrassing. And he was certain someone was about to tell him that there would be no time to play such games during the mission.

But fortunately, Young-ae was a fellow who severely enjoyed challenges, and he was glad that he had been up for a few rounds.

Sure, he had won each and every one of them, but he still had fun playing with the halfbreed before him.

"Well, I'm still game for two more rounds, or more, depending on how much time we've got," murmured Young-ae as he looked at the board, realising that what Arthur said was indeed true. "How about you?"

"Fortunately, we've got all the time to do that," spoke Valeria as she approached the two sitting men, smiling at the sight before her. "Our operation begins at dusk."

"A perfect timing to catch our enemies off-guard. Acceptable," nodded Arthur, the blond possessing a look that made him look pretty smart. "In any case, may I know where Le Fay is?"

"Still sleeping with Shiro, dude," answered Bikou as he dropped from the second floor, cracking his back in time when the blond huffed.

"Sleeping? It's bright out in the afternoon already," sighing—knowing that the girls were always like that, since the very beginning he added—he stood up. "I might as well go wake them up."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I'll do that. You worry about your chess pieces," groaned Young-ae as he stood up, stretching himself before climbing the ladder, getting a 'Thank you' from the Pendragon descendant.

The ladder wasn't too high up, but it did make him worry whether or not he might slip and fall. Luckily, it seemed that Le Fay had added enchantments to each step, which created a strong pull on the climber's legs so that they wouldn't fall.

He knew it was her because he was pretty certain no one else here knew this sort of magic.

Finally reaching the second floor, he looked to his right, noticing a bundle of messy blonde and silver hair, mixed in together and becoming a tangent mess.

"Hey girls, wake up. It's the middle of the day already," he hollered to them, but getting nothing as a response. "Hmm… Oh, I know… If you don't get up, you won't get breakfast."

"Breakfast!" Was Shiro's loud response, almost causing the lad to jump back—and possibly plummet to his suffering fate—had he not been quick enough to catch one of the supporting poles. "Mou! Shiro wants breakfast too!"

"T-Then get up! Don't be such a lazy bum," he was unsure of what to take of this.

The Shiro he knew back in the day, even now, was an extremely excitable person. And a powerful one, no less. His constant defeats at her hands, even now—his sparring with her just the evening the day before ended with him having a broken arm and twisted leg—is a clear testament to the latter fact.

But this was something new. Her love for food.

Or was it just his cooking? Either way, he had learnt something new about his friend, and would be wise to use it against her if the time ever comes.

Still though, he was ever the more curious about how she is so strong to begin with…

"Mmm… What will we…" Her 'early' wake was accompanied with a soft yawn, smacking her wet lips together as the trail of drool down the left corner of her lips remained stubborn to leave. Unlike the usually tidy girl she is at times that he's ever seen her, she was currently with a bedhead he was _sure_ made her look like some lioness. "Be having for breakfast..?"

"Uhh… I'll get back to you in a minute," was all he said before deciding to climb back down, hesitant to remain there any longer lest he burst laughing. 'Oh God, that looked fantastic..! Haha, what I would do to have a camera with me at that moment…'

He was certain that he had brought one with him when he left home, though… Oh well.

* * *

Evening

When the sun finally dipped, sky painted a marvellous gradient of dark blues, purples and reds, the team was finally ready to move out.

It had been too difficult to get on with the mission with all of them going together, so they had split up into smaller divisions to take care of the different problems at hand.

Young-ae and Shiro were going to take down any unsuspecting Youkai in the area, with Le Fay having placed a concealment spell on them so they wouldn't be noticed.

The aforementioned witch and her brother would remain at base to guide everyone through their targeted location and back to their base, as well as deal with any troubles that may arise.

Kuroka, Bikou and Valeria were going straight for Yasaka herself.

'Honestly, why the hell do we have to do this? If it's somewhere along the lines of experimentation…' Young-ae gulped as he stared at the gigantic shrine sixteen clicks away from him, probably ten stories high. 'No, no… Cao Cao's not that cruel. He wouldn't do that to her, right?'

Despite his initial tries of reassuring himself of otherwise, he couldn't help but feel uncertain.

"So Young-ae!" He turned around, his albino friend beaming at him like usual. "What to do now?"

"We take out any of the guards. Covert style," he answered, putting on a black sick mask—he honestly didn't know why he had this in his bag, but he supposed anything was better than nothing. "Remember, Shiro, not too much noise."

She was definitively the loudest of the bunch, having made noise that he swore the rabbit on the moon ould have heard from all the way up there.

And yes, while it is strange to believe that there may be a rabbit all the way on the moon, he couldn't help it! His mother had such nice little stories that would have been suitable for a little toddler to read, but even he should be given a little more freedom to be imaginative, right?

The night was quiet, the littlest sounds that could reach his ears being his own breath, Shiro's, or the occasional chirping from the crickets.

Thankfully, withth the spell put on him and Shiro, their energy signatures would be veiled as well, so no one should be able to pinpoint his location.

"Oh ddaeng," he stopped in his tracks, seeing a man with fox tails and a mask standing somewhere close to the garden, the naginata in his hands clean and polished. "Shiro, take the ones on my right. I'll take care of these two."

"Right," nodding, she crept up to the three unsuspecting guards on his right.

Slow steps he took towards the two in front of him, activating his kagune and producing the eyed blades, making sure that a paralytic poison was currently being pumped into them, which would ensure their safety.

Directly behind them, he quickly stabbed their heels, silencing them by closing their mouths.

"Don't speak a word, don't scream," he whispered, slowly setting them down.

He had been lucky to be able to develop the poison to begin with. Hopefully, it should keep them down for at least an hour or two.

Done with that, he rushed back to Shiro, seeing her having no trouble with her end.

Nodding to each other, the two retreated to another building, making sure to have dragged the bodies with them so that no other guard would come across the bodies.

That would not be good.

"How're you guys doing?" He asked Valeria through the magical circle on his ear that acted as the earpiece.

" _We_ _'_ _re pretty close to the target_ _'_ _s location, I believe. Thanks for taking out the guards in the area beforehand,_ " she said in a grateful tone, getting a laugh from him.

"It's fine. Just doing our jobs," Young-ae prepared to close the communicator before—

" _Requesting assistance!_ " Arthur's voice boomed through the magic circle, the sound of screaming joined in before it all cut off with a painful static.

It didn't take long for the halfbreed of the group to break into a run, off to the warehouse.

"Y-Young-ae!" Shouting for his name did not stop him, however, so the teenager ran after her friend, looking just as worried as he was. "What do we do?"

"Tch… We don't have any other choices, do we?" Clicking his tongue, he lowered his body in a squatting position. "Get on my back."

She didn't waste any more time, jumping onto his back and allowing him to secure her tightly around him, making sure that she held a strong grip over his shoulders, before he broke into a run towards the warehouse, trepidation quickly rising.

What happened? He was sure that Le Fay had placed multiple spells around the warehouse to keep it from being discovered by anyone.

And then the most obvious answer slammed straight into his face, like the dust and pebbles that flew at him from every angle.

The youkai's are not necessarily weak, he knew. When it came to terms to their usage over spiritual energy, they had just about almost every other races beat. Not having taken that into account definitely caused their current predicament, and he had to force himself not to curse out loud.

'Crud… Arthur, Le Fay, hold on..!' He hoped that he wouldn't be too late, and as he continued to run and jump on buildings, all he could focus on was to keep his friends safe.

* * *

With Valeria, Bikou and Kuroka

*Boom!*

Things weren't looking great on their leader's end as well, it seems.

"Bikou! Watch your flank!" Ordered the Lucifer heiress as she reflected a beam of light aimed for her torso, only barely able to do so. Had she been any later, she was sure to have a hole in her gut by now. "What the hell?! I thought we took out all the guards on patrol already!"

"Looks like we forgot some of them!" Hissed Kuroka as she slammed her fist against one of the youkai, jumping back to evade a deadly orb of light. "Crap, Arthur's in trouble, and we're too busy here as well!"

"Yeah, things have really gone to sh*t!" Cried out Bikou as he swung his pole around him, smacking a few of the humanoid beasts. "Dang, and I was hoping that we could get through this entire thing without too much trouble! And we're not even close to their leader yet!"

There was no certainty as to how long they could keep this going, seeing that _they_ were the ones currently under siege, forced to take blows from every angle.

The yoke's had formed a square around them, hurling magical projectiles at them without letting up.

Goes to show just how large their mana reserves were.

"Protest Lady Yasaka from the terrorists, no matter what!" Declared a random guard before he pulled out a naginata, tapping the butt of the weapon against the floor of the shrine—

*Khsssh!*

*Rhrgaa!*

Forming a magnificent dragon out of mere paper that came from the scroll hidden in the youkai's sleeve of the omnyoji outfit that he wore, the dragon of paper allowing a deadly blast of wind to be released from its jaws, shooting forth like a torrent of gushing anger that momentarily overpowered the group of three before they braced themselves against it.

"C-Crud..! At this rate, we're going to have to surrender..!" She had been forced to rely on her spiritual energy, but Kuroka didn't really care about that. As long as it protected her, then anything's good for her. "Actually, screw that! We need to get out of here..!"

"B-But, if we leave now, we'll never get the chance to capture Yasaka again..!" Cried out the monkey youkai, his tail flying in the wind. "Also, I just realised something! Kuroka, you're wearing sandals! I thought you always go barefoot?!"

"It was just for tonight, idiot! I didn't even know why I'm wearing them to begin with, so shut the hell up!" She shouted back, not in the mood for this.

Mind trying very hard to conjure a plan, she knew that she was in a pretty tight spot, and all odds of actually winning—let alone get out of here _alive_ —seemed very miniscule.

Crud, if only they went together..!

" _Leader!_ " The voice of the human-ghoul halfbreed cut through her earpiece, causing the heiress to jump momentarily.

"Y-Young-ae?! What's going on over there?!" She managed to scream back, lowering her head to avoid getting her face skewered by a dozen shuriken's. "Are you alright over there?! What about—"

" _Good news incoming! Hold out until then!_ " He shouted back, ending the communication.

Slack-jawed at that quick interruption, she merely sighed before returning her attention to the battle before her, hoping that whatever her friend and comrade was trying to say really is good news.

She didn't need everything to be even more worse than it already is!

*Boom!*

"F**k..!" Wincing as an orb of fire nicked his arm, he had been lucky that he had not been engulfed in the explosion that just took place behind him. Quickly, Bikou ignored the pain in favour of fending off the youkai's with his trusty staff. "I could really go with a Senzu bean at this rate..! Wait a minute, they don't exist."

"No sh*t, Sherlock!" Kuroka couldn't believe that, despite the situation that they were in, he could still make such a stupid comment like _that_!

The youkai's in the area did not stop, continued to press their attack towards the three. Letting loose just about every type of magic they had in their arsenal, the effects were clear as day; their leader was beginning to grow tired, the monkey one was slower and the seductive one was weaker.

Just a bit more, and victory would be thei—

*Rhhuaaa!*

"HOLD IT!"

Everyone stopped whatever they were doing, the youkai's tensing as they stared to where the earsplitting growl came from… only to see a male teenager, black hair with white crown, pressing a little girl against his body as he kept a knife close to her throat.

They looked to the girl, immediately recognizing her to be the daughter to their leader, Kunou.

And her captor, the strange being that had the smell of two distinct beings—one that belonged to a human, the other something they had never smelt—wore the most sadistic smile he could put on.

Intimidation. A tactic so useful, so well-used that it never failed anyone at the right timings. And now, he was really glad that he had been able to pull this off.

"Back! Drop your weapons, or this little girl..!" The hand that gripped the knife moved the edge of the blade closer to her throat, but not that it would actually touch the skin. "Looses her head! And I ain't—Hey, hey! I saw that! Put it down!"

Begrudgingly, he dropped his naginata.

Soon enough, Arthur and Le Fay caught up with their halfbreed friend, panting. Shiro had arrived as well, looking so much better than any of them were.

The party of terrorists stared at the youkai's, daring them to move even a single step towards them. A challenge, they thought, that either risked their safety or—indefinitely—the young lady's.

"What do you want?" Spoke one of the guard, trying not to look too defensive.

"Your leader," he said simply, his smile twisted into a cold scowl that honestly surprised even his own teammates. Valeria swore he looked scarier than Cao Cao all of a sudden. "If we are not given audience with her, I take her head. No funny business. Now lead the way."

It was hard to say no, given their current situation.

And so, they prepared to move forwards.

"Ahh! Stop right there," they were forced to pause in their tracks when the teenager called them once more, a look of distrust on his face. "I can't trust none of you to not call reinforcements. All of you are to walk in front of us, altogether, and lead us to your leader. I see anything I don't like, and I keep up my promise. Now get moving, assholes."

They had no choice to comply, doing as he was told. The entire group moved forwards, not at once turning around as he moved forwards, his friends on either sides of him.

"Whoa, dude, I can't believe how hardcore you were," blurted Bikou without a trace of shame, honestly in awe with what his younger comrade had just done. "Hell, I don't think even Valeria could do that."

"True," and she was not ashamed to admit it either.

He never said anything, however, merely nodding as he continued to follow the youkai's. Their mission may reach its goal after all.

* * *

They were brought into a large space, a room where multiple paintings had been hung on the four walls. The scent of herbs and medicine hung heavily in the air, so much so that Young-ae was sure he would have vomited to had he not been so used to the smell of such.

Sitting in the middle of the room, a respectable distance away from him, was the leader of the youkai's. Yasaka, a beautiful woman with blonde hair and a figure that clearly transcended any of his initial thoughts, but he had a better control on his hormones.

Didn't stop him from staring at her at first though.

'C-Crud... She was the lady I met at the park that night,' he thought, gritting his teeth. 'Is this world too damn small or something?! Like, come on! It's like I keep meeting important people that I don't know were important to begin with, only to meet them again after awhile! This is, like, good luck but incredibly annoying..!'

And really though, he had been lucky—or unlucky, depending on who you asked—that he didn't notice the jealous looks coming from the girls of his group, somewhat feeling inferior compared to the woman.

"A pleasure to have met you people. I am Yasaka, leader of the Youkai Faction," she was sitting, kneeling, as she dipped her body down into a small bowing motion, sounding composed. "May I know the names of those that I am speaking with?"

"Don't bother. We're the members of the Khaos Brigade, and that is all that you shall know," spat Young-ae, his grip over Kunou's throat loosening just a bit.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Her tone was gentle, motherly. He couldn't tell whether that was the real her or just an imitation meant to make him drop his guard before she burnt him in his spot.

He shook his head of any thoughts.

"For one, here's your daughter," he released his grip over her throat, allowed the knife to be pocketed.

"Mama!" Immediately, the young vixen ran to her mother, hugging her tightly.

"And two," he looked to this comrades, all of them noticing the look of… relief? He turned back to the woman, doing what none of them had expected.

So much so that the entire room was filled with silent gasps.

He fell into a prostrating position, his eyes closed.

"I wish to apologize to you. For using your daughter like this, and for threatening her life, as well as yours," his tone was composed, laced with what everyone thought was slight fear. "I was wrong to do so, and I hope you can forgive me for such a thing."

"I-It's… fine…" Blinking, Yasaka honestly didn't know what to say. Even her daughter, the supposed 'victim' in the situation, had been at a lost for words. "You… may rise, now."

Saying nothing, he stood up.

"Yo, dude! Why'd you let her go?! We could've used her for bargaining or something!" Bikou cried out, so confused with what his friend just did. Young-ae did not say anything, however, resulting in him sighing. "Jeez… Whatever."

"Lady Yasaka," the woman perked up, the voice of the silver-haired lady calling for her. "I am Valeria Lucifer of the Khaos Brigade. We have been sent here to take you with us to our base."

Immediately, all the youkai's present tensed up, pulling out their weapons.

A quick wave from their leader prompted them to relax, putting away their arsenal. She looked to Valeria, reading her.

"And what for?" She asked back.

"That, I cannot say. Our leader wishes for something that included you, yet he had not disclosed such details with me, let alone anyone else," she shook her head. "However, it would do you well to come with us. Make this easy for all of us, and no one gets hurt."

"Liars! You're going to do something terrible to my mother, I just know it!" Hissed Kunou, her tails spread out in a threatening manner.

She was a smart one, Young-ae thought. Able to make such simple a conclusion that even he had been thinking about recently. Something that made him want to abort this mission and just go back.

Go back to the times where he had never been part of the Khaos Brigade. Back to the times where all he did for a living was take care of the shrine he and his mother lived in. Back to the times when everything was so much simpler.

Now, things were different. He had just threatened a mother to kill her daughter.

The thought brought terrible memories, those that he had hoped would have been gone with his nightmares. But it seems some things were hard to erase from the soul forever.

"You are not entirely right, but there is the possibility to such a thing," Arthur nodding at her words made the little girl pale, and Young-ae felt sick. "However, should you choose not to come with us, we cannot promise your safety."

"Her safety will have already been forsaken if she went with you dogs," spat a random guard, the rest throwing their own verbal insults into the mix.

The group knew that chances of persuading their leader to come with them would be difficult, what with the presence of her guards here. Added to the fact that Young-ae had basically let Kunou go made their chances even slimmer.

The leader, however, as she trudged her fingers through her daughter's hair, could not help but look at Young-ae.

"Allow me to ask you a question," she directed her words to the halfbreed, who perked up when her gaze landed on her. "Why _did_ you let my daughter go?"

It was a simple question, but in most cases, it would've taken a person at least a few minutes and more to collect together their thoughts.

But it seemed that he had his answer with him the moment he stepped foot into this room.

"Because she's your daughter, to put it simply," and his response was just as he said; simple. It didn't stop the questioning looks that came both from the youkai's and his own team, however. "Okay, let me explain… You are her mother, therefore you worry for her safety, do you not?"

"Of course I do. She is everything to me," she nodded, still not understanding.

"Well, I could never hope to tear apart a family like that. It just… leaves a sour feeling on my tongue," he sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Look, I'm not good with words, so don't expect me to explain too much. But do know that I really couldn't bring myself to hurting your daughter, so that's that."

When he stopped speaking, he noticed the girl in question looking at him with an understanding look, making him feel somewhat nervous.

"Is that why you didn't actually touch my neck with the neck?" She asked.

'Shoot, she actually noticed,' he thought, a wry smile plastered on his face as he nodded. "Sharp eye, I guess. But yeah. Felt nervous to do it, to be honest."

It was why, if he was ever going to eat, he would target a person who was either a criminal or didn't have a family. He didn't want to risk the chances of killing a man who _did_ have a family.

He could not live with himself.

To watch his wife see him go. Leave his children behind. His parents would mourn for him as well. But what if the person was a child? A couple would lose their child.

The possibilities were endless, so he had been extremely picky. Thankfully, with help from Ophis, he knew where to find his suitable picks, so he never needed to feel guilty about it.

Though taking the life of another was still terrible in on itself. But it was a necessary evil; devour another's life to prolong his own.

Hah. Life was a big, f**king joke.

"I… see…" The knowledge truly made her surprised, and she didn't know what to say.

"So what now?" Yasaka asked, eyes filled with concern. "Will my people and daughter be safe?"

"They will be, if you come with us," Arthur answered in a voice of steel, and the halfbreed appreciated that. He didn't trust his voice, lest it trembled or anything.

"I see… If that is the only way, then that shall be what I shall do," she nodded, her daughter's eyes shooting wide faster than ever.

"W-What?! You can't do that, mother!" Kunou cried out, clutching the sleeves of her mother's dress. "You can't leave us! Leave _me_!"

The pain in her voice was noticed by Young-ae, and having grown up in a terrible place made him sensitive.

Shiro noticed him flinch, and she couldn't help but frown.

"Sweet Kunou, I will never leave you. Even if I must go, I will always be with you, both in heart and mind," she cooed back.

"M-Mother…" She sniffed, the biting tears at her eyes threatening to leak.

Extremely cheesy, I know, but the halfbreed couldn't care less about that.

He honestly didn't know whether he should feel touched by the showing of affection from mother to daughter, or feel awkward that he was here, listening to them.

Thinking that it would do him—or even his teammates, honestly—any good, he coughed into his fist, getting the leader's attention.

"Look, we uhh… I know I said we came here to abduct you and everything, but you made a fatal mistake in one of your points," he began, the woman tilting her head in confusion. What was there that she had said wrong? "See, this isn't the _only_ way, you know."

"What?" Taken aback—showing that she had no idea whatever the hell he was saying—Valeria pulled his arm back, forcing his eyes to meet hers. "Young-ae, what are you doing?! Cao Cao will kill us if we don't bring her with us!"

"I know that, Valeria, but we don't have to bring her in as our _prisoner_ ," he answered, coolly, getting a look of disbelief from her—and dare he say it, she was probably thinking about his words, trying to make sense and realising that what he was saying wasn't incredibly hard to picture. He turned his attention back to Yasaka, raising his voice. "You see—"

*BOOM!* *THUNDERRR!*

"…Crap," blinking, Young-ae did not waste time to rush to the nearby window, peeking a head out and feeling his jaw hit the windowsill when he saw whatever was in the sky.

Standing atop a powerful large dragon, spawned by an adept magician he had met only once or twice in his time in the Khaos Brigade base; a simple human who was blessed with an incredibly powerful 'SacredGear'.

And standing atop the dragon, besides its summoner, was the all-famed—or hated or feared, depending on whom you asked—Cao Cao, a calm smile as he weld his weapon in his left hand.

"A pleasure to be here, Youkai Faction! I am Cao Cao, leader of the Khaos Brigade, and I have come here to claim your leader!" Openly declared the human without so much of a fear, his heart resolute.

"Crap," repeated Young-ae, his previous hopes of keeping Yasaka and Kunou shattering just like that.

And from a distance, somewhere down the street, one Issei Hyoudou and his team of devils, angel and valkyrie would be gawking at the sight of such a large creature in the air, and the declaration of such a man spurred them to act faster now, rushing to the Youkai faction's side to defend their leader.

'Hang on, we're coming..!' Thought the brunette, activating his 'Boosted Gear'.

Three groups were going to class, possibly ending up in a great war, and Young-ae had to be caught in the middle of it all… Damn it.

Could life get any more worse than this?

'…Oh, damn it,' he cursed in his mind, just realizing something else.

He just jinxed it, didn't he?

* * *

 **A/N: A bit lighter than usual, is it? Don't worry. If this is what y'all think, then I was aiming for just that.**

 **This is just to introduce everything to you all, but everything will truly go down in the next chapter. How will Young-ae fare against the new challenges to come? It'll be up to him to take care of things after this.**

 **Three factions, and three choices; will his loyalty remain true to Cao Cao, or will he stand to defend Yasaka?**

 **Or a third path, maybe..? Well, that's all for next chapter. Until then, see you next time!**


End file.
